Dyslexia impacts all areas of life. For many dyslexic persons, executive functioning is greatly impacted. “Executive function refers to skills that you use to manage everyday tasks like making plans, solving problems and adapting to new situations. The three main skills are working memory, cognitive flexibility and inhibition control.” (Executive Function) This month’s newsletter is al about defining executive function. Next month, the newsletter will give some suggestions for ways to help a student with executive functioning difficulties.

Working Memory Working memory is used to make sense of new information or events so that it can be integrated with existing knowledge. “It’s a skill that allows us to work with information without losing track of what we’re doing. Think of working memory as a temporary sticky not in the brain. It holds new information in place so the brain can work with it briefly and connect it with other information.” (What is Working Memory?) This is the reason many dyslexics need multiple repetitions of new information before it can be learned and why both MTA and Barton require repetition and review each session.

Cognitive Flexibility

Cognitive flexibility is the ability to shift gears between tasks, thought processes and situations. It a lows a person to multitask, use empathy, and to change direction (try a new solution to a problem) when you realize something will not work. Some people with difficulty in cognitive flexibility are unable to switch gears and struggle with change. “When faced with a problem, kids who struggle with flexible thinking might freeze and do nothing. Or they might try the same strategy over and over, even if it’s not working. This rigid way of thinking can show up during conversations. For example, kids may not understand that some words have two meanings. It can also show up in schoolwork, like when kids use a math strategy that works for one type of word problem but not with another.” (Trouble with Flexible Thinking)

Inhibition Control

Inhibition control is how well a person can focus amid distractions, control emotions, and manage one’s reaction to a specific situation. Conditions such as ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder), which often accompanies dyslexia, will impact executive function. “For example, if you have ADHD, it may be hard for you to manage your behavior (inhibitory control or inhibition control). It may be difficult for you to remember (store) information and integrate that information with new information (working memory.” (Executive Function)

Resources

Belsky, Gail, Trouble with Flexible Thinking: Why Some Kids Only See Things One Way, Understood, https://www.understood.org/en/articles/flexible thinking-what-you-need-to-know Executive Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/executive function Rosen, Peg, What is Working Memory, Understood, https://www.understood.org/en/articles/working memory-what-it-is-and-how-it-works

The Reading Fairy will be closed the week of Thanksgiving, November 25-29 (Contact your therapist or interventionist if you wish to have classes that week). We wish each of you a blessed Thanksgiving. We also want you to know that we are blessed and thankful to have you as a part of The Reading Fairy.We are blessed and enjoy working with you and your children.