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…

During life transitions, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face unique challenges. When navigating the transition from high school to higher education, individuals with ASD confront increased vulnerability in social situations, decreased likelihood of program completion, and increased risk of mental health problems. To help these…

The pandemic has provoked disruptions in students' lives and studies worldwide, which has caused them to feel moderate to high levels of anxiety and stress. Universities have responded by offering online counseling and communicating self-help recommendations via their websites. Curiously, the role that professors could play to reduce this…

Students with disabilities comprise a large and growing fraction of college students; however, many instructors lack the training and knowledge to support them. In this paper, we discuss the impact of professional development about executive function disorders and Universal Design for Learning for an introductory physics instructor (second author)…

In this paper, the association between bilingualism and creativity is investigated. In the first part, the results of a literature review are reported. Previous research predominantly found that bilinguals outperform monolinguals on creativity tasks, which was explained by bilinguals' enhanced executive functioning compared to monolinguals, and…

Designing homework to mediate executive functioning disorders of students with disabilities is critical to their future academic success. The article explains and defines different executive functions of the brain and how these impact students' ability to benefit from homework assignments. Specific strategies are provided for designing…

"Marvel" at the neuroscientific reasons why smart teens make dumb decisions! "Behold" the mind-controlling power of executive function! "Thrill" to a vision of a better school for the teenage brain! Whether you're a parent interacting with one adolescent or a teacher interacting with many, you know teens can be hard…

A major controversy facing the field of gifted education is the underrepresentation of low income, minority, and dual language students. Strategies for addressing this challenge have been to use universal screening and local norms; however, these useful recommendations continue to focus on traditional testing procedures that measure what students…

This is the second in a series of briefs published by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) on how social and emotional learning (SEL) is integral to the teaching and learning of literacy practices. In this brief, the authors discuss how to support the development of elementary-aged children's ability to read…

Deficits in executive functions can lead to many difficulties for students with disabilities. Research has shown a strong correlation between deficits in executive functions and deficits in academic performance and social-emotional functioning. With state testing requirements, response to intervention (RTI), and positive behavior interventions and…

This paper reports on a framework of thinking, memory and learning that emerged from a qualitative research study into the nature of learning for individuals with autism. The framework is useful for professional development of teachers regarding the learning characteristics of neurodiverse students with autism spectrum disorder. The paper provides…

Walk into most Catholic schools (pre- and post COVID-19) these days and they look very similar to the Catholic schools from 50 years ago. The tradition, the familiarity, and the similarity are comforting and classic. However, in the past 50 years a revolution has happened in education. Educational research across many domains has revealed ways to…

The unprecedented switch to distance learning due to COVID-19 highlighted some social, economic, and learning inequities and presented opportunities for educators to reframe our approaches to learning environments. Through our lenses as a high school teacher, middle level teacher, and high school social worker, we document successful structures…

Studying English is challenging and, for many learners, undiagnosed learning disabilities can present a serious threat to their success. Recent studies indicate that up to 10% of the world population has a non-apparent disability, such as autism or dyslexia. At the same time, few English language learner (ELL) instructors in higher education have…

Shifting federal educational priorities and increased funding for pre-K means that more school counselors are interacting with and supporting children before kindergarten age in public school settings. One potential area of focus for school counseling with young students is executive function (EF), including emotional and behavioral regulation,…