Executive functions are widely considered as an umbrella term for the higher order cognitive processes that contribute to goal-directed behavior. In addition, executive functions are highly correlated with positive academic outcomes. To promote the development of executive functions among youth within educational settings, some theorists and…

Every educator wants to know: "What has the greatest impact on student success?" The answer: executive function skills. They are crucial for students' academic success and personal growth, yet many of our students lack the skills required to engage in learning, such as organization, planning, time management, and self-regulation. This…

Executive function is an umbrella term involving working memory, planning, organization, social inhibition, self-regulation, and cognitive flexibility. It is an area where many students with disabilities struggle. This column describes practical ways to enhance executive functioning in students with disabilities using the universal design for…

This study explored the effects of pedagogical approaches on Title I kindergarten students' executive function (EF) and academic achievement to test the hypothesis that children, especially those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, will benefit when purposeful play is incorporated into learning. Students in the play-based group generally had…

Teach some of the most important skills your students will ever need! "Please, try harder." "Please, pay attention." "Please, behave." Most students want to do what it takes to succeed, but sometimes that's easier said than done. Executive function skills such as self-regulation, focus, planning, and time management…

Children's literate development is mediated by classroom talk. That same talk also mediates children's emotional, relational, self-regulatory, and moral development. Consequently, the discourse of some literacy teaching practices may be important for shaping the course of human development, and those dimensions of human development can play…

In this article, I describe a series of Five Core Competencies that gifted education specialists should consider integrating into their teaching to respond to the many changes that are taking place in technology, work, and career preparation. Although the focus of this theory is on high- level jobs usually pursued by college graduates and advanced…

We describe research results and lessons learned from a laboratory/classroom collaboration with a school system offering both traditional English-only education and a dual-language track (Spanish/English). Through this collaboration, we addressed basic research questions informing malleable factors that impact cognitive development. In a…

In the international literature, increasing numbers of articles and books are published about teaching and learning, with the brain in mind. For a long time, I have been sceptical about this question. However, seeing many unresolved issues in the teaching and learning of mathematics, I slowly started to study the relevant literature and have…

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders supposedly have an affinity with information and communication technology (ICT), making it an ideally suited media for this population. Virtual environments (VEs)--both two-dimensional and immersive--represent a particular kind of ICT that might be of special benefit. Specifically, this paper discusses…

This paper presents a conversation with Carol Dweck, the author of "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success" (Random House, 2006). She serves as the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Science and is the recipient of…

The aim of this work was to gather different perspectives on the "key ingredients" involved in creative writing by children--from experts of diverse disciplines, including teachers, linguists, psychologists, writers and art educators. Ultimately, we sought in the experts' convergence or divergence insights on the relative importance of the…

For students with autism spectrum disorders, problems with flexibility and goal-directed behavior can be a major obstacle to success in school and in life. But flexibility and goal-setting can be taught just like any other skill--and this how-to manual equips professionals with simple, real-world ways to help students with ASD develop this…