#9 Strategies to Help Improve Executive Function Skills

In this episode, we discuss 12 strategies that can be used to improve executive functions. We organized the discussion under four main headings:

Routines and Approaches:

1. Maintaining a structured daily routine
2. Using planners and PDAs
3. Developing study skills and strategies (spaced repetition, memory strategies, developing working memory, doing one task at a time to completion)
4. Eating a healthy diet (fish oil, colorful veggies, berries, tea/coffee, walnuts, fermented foods, dark chocolate)

Cognition and Metacognition:

1. Thinking aloud
2. Interactive games
3. Cognitive remedial therapy: Developing and strengthening the core cognitive skills
4. Brain exercises

Movement

1. Routine exercise
2. Martial arts
3. Music training

Mindfulness

1. meditation and breathwork 

Links:

• Planning Time Management and Organization for Success: https://goodsensorylearning.com/products/planning-time-management-and-organization-for-success-download?_pos=1&_sid=0ff6bac30&_ss=r 
• Executive Functioning and Study Skills Course: https://www.learningspecialistcourses.com/courses/teaching-EF-and-study-strategies  
• Foods Linked to Better Brain Power: https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/foods-linked-to-better-brainpower 
• To improve students’ mental health, Yale study finds, teach them to breathe: https://news.yale.edu/2020/07/27/improve-students-mental-health-yale-study-finds-teach-them-breathe 
• Is your brain healthy? A Stanford neurologist offers tips: https://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2020/02/21/is-your-brain-healthy-a-stanford-neurologist-offers-tips/ 
• Episode 30: How To Optimize Your Brain-Body Function & Health | Huberman Lab: https://podcastnotes.org/huberman-lab/episode-30-how-to-optimize-your-brain-body-function-health-huberman-lab/ 
• Dr. Warren’s Cognitive Remedial Games and Brain Teasers: https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/cognitive-games-brain-training  
• Your Brain on Chocolate: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/your-brain-on-chocolate-2017081612179 
• Lumosity: https://www.lumosity.com/en/ 
• MPower: https://goodsensorylearning.com/products/mpower?_pos=1&_sid=f4b6dc4a9&_ss=r 
• Hey, What’s the Big Idea: https://goodsensorylearning.com/products/hey-whats-the-big-idea-main-idea-and-detail-game-download?_pos=1&_sid=02f678708&_ss=r 
• Set: https://amzn.to/3mEUNOw 
• Spot it: https://amzn.to/3oVEsYG
• Executive functions and Study Skills Course: https://www.learningspecialistcourses.com/courses/teaching-EF-and-study-strategies 
• Good Sensory Learning: https://goodsensorylearning.com/
• Executive Functionings for Groups and Classes: https://tinyurl.com/4sx3eh3fhttps://www.learningspecialistcourses.com/courses/executive-functioning-games-for-groups-and-classes  
• Dyslexia Productivity Coaching: ⁠⁠http://dyslexiaproductivitycoaching.com/⁠⁠
• Cognitive Flexibility:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://goodsensorylearning.com/blogs/news/dyslexia-and-executive-function 
• Dyslexia Quiz: ⁠⁠https://bulletmapacademy.com/dyslexia-quiz/⁠⁠
• Inhibitory Control:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/blogs/news/poor-executive-functioning?_pos=3&_sid=19d2b3888&_ss=r 
• Metacognition: https://goodsensorylearning.com/blogs/news/teaching-metacognitive-skills?_pos=1&_sid=8c4ed9b58&_ss=r 
• Visualization:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/blogs/news/the-key-to-improved-attention-and-memory-for-optimal-learning?_pos=8&_sid=a9d61809a&_ss=r 
• Inner Voice:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://goodsensorylearning.com/blogs/news/inner-voice-app?_pos=1&_sid=604e0b13e&_ss=r 
• Working Memory: https://goodsensorylearning.com/blogs/news/tagged/working-memory 

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• https://goodsensorylearning.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://learningspecialistcourses.com⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/products/executive-functioning-coaching-assessment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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