Your brain is an amazing organ. Countless studies, experiments and articles have shown us this. The complexities and inner-workings of this powerhouse are still yet to be fully explored.
Have you ever stopped to think what controls your brain? What prevents it from becoming mere chaos?
Well, it’s called Executive Function, and you need to know about it.
What is Executive Function and why do we need it?
Executive Function acts like the ultimate synthesiser – the general, one might say. It encompasses a range of abilities many people think are merely part of day-to-day functioning. These include:
- Decision making
- Memory
- Attention
- Organisation
- Time management
- Problem solving
- Acting on previous experiences
These skills are all housed in the frontal lobe of the brain. Conditions like ADHD, dyslexia, depression, learning difficulties, Alzheimer’s or a head injury can decrease executive function.
It’s not hard to see why an issue with your executive function can impact many important parts of life – school, work, relationships. The ‘control’ this conductor provides can be damaged or completely removed, resulting in feelings of inadequacy and dissatisfaction.
Techniques to improve Executive Function
Currently, many tools recommended to help reduce executive function issues rely on the initiation and responsibility of a third party – teachers, parents or professionals.
Techniques such as calendars, checklists or timed activities may be used at home.
And professionals can help improve executive function using cognitive behavioural therapy. This is a talk-based therapy aimed at improving these skills. The therapy can also help a person learn to cope with decreased executive function ability.
Helping your brain improve its executive function
But wouldn’t it be better to give the child/individual the tools to improve their executive function themselves? Empowering an existence surely must be preferable to simply monitoring it.
Here’s where Fast ForWord123 programs can help. But Fast ForWord is often thought of as a “reading program”, isn’t it?
Actually, Fast ForWord helps the brain to enhance its own skills.... including those encompassed within executive function.
These neuroscience-based programs can help children as young as 5, including primary and high school students empower their own brains to improve their ability to remember, organise, or make decisions. For pre-school children, Kiko's Thinking Time is an ideal way to help them develop their executive function skills with a game- based app.
When neuroscience educator, Dr Martha Burns answered a question about a 17 year old student with weak executive function, she said:
“Students with executive function issues also often have problems with working memory and processing speed – both would be addressed in Fast ForWord Literacy and to some extent in the higher level Fast ForWord reading programs.”
An individual can improve their executive function by training with these neuroscience-based programs. They don't have to rely on someone else. This makes the students more confident in their own ability, something they may have been lacking before.
By using Fast ForWord123 we can empower a person to unlock their abilities, allowing them to carve their own existence for their own delight.
Who wouldn’t want that?
Related Posts
Executive Function: The Foundation for School Readiness
The Neuroscience of Learning & Fast ForWord by Dr Martha Burns
Fast ForWord: How Much Evidence is Enough? Science & Real World
