A Note from the Director:

Many students look forward to back to school time as a fresh start, an opportunity to get organized and stay on top of things throughout the year. For some students that is a daunting challenge that can become overwhelming, sparking an emotional rollercoaster of a response. Students who experience challenges with organization and self regulation of emotions may need support with their executive functioning skills.

This issue of ISRC Review provides information on ways educators and family members can intervene to build executive functioning skills in students. Adults can establish predictable routines and make modifications in the environment to prevent meltdowns, provide organizational tools, teach expected behaviors, and provide incentives for demonstration of appropriate behaviors. One parent shares her personal experiences on Page 2, and a list of resources from ISRC is provided.

Also in this issue, ISRC shares data on student behavioral and emotional functioning at school and home. Students receiving individualized support from ISRC demonstrated a reduction in suspensions and office discipline referrals, with an increase in socially appropriate behaviors with peers and in unsupervised settings. Families of these students reported a reduction in several areas of stress, including home school relationships. The ISRC team is looking forward this school year to serving these students and their families, along with supporting the behavioral needs of all deaf and hard of hearing students in Illinois.

Cheri Sinnott, LCSW

ISRC Director

Illinois Service Resource Center Serv ing Deaf/ Hard of Hear ing S tudent Behav iora l Needs

A T e c h n i c a l A s s i s t a n c e C e n t e r o f t h e I l l i n o i s S t a t e B o a r d o f E d u c a t i o n 8 4 7 - 5 5 9 - 8 1 9 5 V o i c e 8 4 7 - 5 5 9 - 9 4 9 3 T TY 8 0 0 - 5 5 0 - 4 7 7 2 H e l p l i n e ( 2 4 H o u r )

Em a i l : i s r c@ i s r c . u s I n t e r n e t s i t e : www . i s r c . u s

Fall 2011 Edition

Review

Executive Functioning Skills Impact Academic And Behavioral Outcomes

Imagine life without a planner, a plan, a calendar, or a list. These tools provide structure and organization for our lives. The executive functions of our brain serve as the planner or administrative assistant to the rest of our brain. A brain that does not have fully developed executive functioning skills is like a hiker in the woods without a compass. When executive functioning skills are low, chaos is high.

Challenges with executive functioning skills fall into two major categories. First are the functions that involve thinking, planning, and organization. The second category includes emotional regulation skills such as impulse control, frustration tolerance, and temper.

Parents and educators can develop interventions that address three components of the behaviors related to executive functioning challenges. Antecedents are factors that take place before the behavior occurs, particularly environmental conditions. Changes to the environment can help establish a more predictable routine and minimize distractions. The second component is the behavior itself. Direct teaching of expected behaviors, breaking down large tasks into smaller chunks, and identifying routines for managing frustrating situations are some strategies to facilitate behavioral change. Consequences are factors that take place after the behavior occurs. Incentives for positive behavior are often effective. Consequences should be stated positively. For example, “You may watch TV as soon as you make your bed.” is preferable to “You can’t watch TV until you make your bed.”

Executive functioning skills are generated in the frontal lobes, which are the last part of the brain to mature. Therefore, executive functioning is not fully developed in most individuals until they are in their 30’s.

In This Issue Page 2. Parent Shares Personal Experience With E.F. Page 3. Student Behavior Improves With ISRC Support Page 4. ASL Literacy Kits on ISRC Website

Patty Torres is the parent of a middle school aged son who is hard of hearing and has academic challenges, including Executive Functioning Weakness. She recently shared some of her experiences with ISRC. The full text of her response can be found on the Parent Page of the ISRC website at www.isrc.us

What are some ways that your child has demonstrated challenges with EF? As the demands of upper elementary starting posing problems, I wondered why he was able to pass a test with flying

colors but as we would study together he would indicate a failing grade was shortcoming. He made mathematical

errors even though verbally he could explain multi-step processes. When projects such a dioramas were assigned he

didn’t know where to begin. He knew that he had to produce a diorama for the Indian lesson but didn’t understand that

such a simple project still required some degree of planning and organization. He had to think about what he wanted it

to look like, materials needed, how many days it would take to complete it and lastly check that requirements were met.

Have you implemented any strategies that have been successful? In an attempt to help my son, I started creating a weekly schedule of his homework assignments. We basically

transferred them from his planner but only now he wasn’t just seeing a note for Monday that said “Science Test on

Friday”. He was visualizing a whole week and what Friday really meant for him from a time perspective since he had

CCD classes on Tuesday evening and another project due on Thursday that would take away free time for studying.

Had we just talked about it, this would have gone way over his head. But now that he could see a picture he could

better manage his time to be more productive with it. Prioritizing his task items and checking them off as they were

completed soon became a non-issue. With organization issues, the Trapper Keeper became the Holy Grail for keeping

all of his different paper needs for each class. We worked with the teachers and eliminated the 5-6 different binders for

each class and had an extra set of books at home. For note-taking, he is given pre-written notes from his teachers and

just follows along in class by highlighting the information.

He is now very organized and independent and forgetfulness is a non-issue. The different strategies did take a lot of

work at first but it didn’t take the latest innovation to get them all implemented. It was the mere understanding that the

development of his brain’s Executive Functions were simply not where they were supposed to be for his age. He will be

more productive in life because he has learned to find solutions to problems and not just give up, take the easy way out

and will continue to produce quality results.

- ISRC Review Page 2 -

Parent Shares Executive Functioning Experience

Executive Functioning Resources Available From ISRC Library

ISRC has multiple resources available on executive functioning. ISRC’s free Resource Library sends items by mail with return postage included. The full Reading List is available on the website by visiting www.isrc.us and selecting the Library tab. Some highlights from the list include:

Late, Lost, and Unprepared: A Parents’ Guide to Helping Children with Executive Functioning by Joyce Cooper-Kahn and Laurie Dietzel. Includes strategies to address multiple very specific incidences of executive functioning challenges, such as a child who arrives at sports practice unprepared, a child who puts off major projects, or a child who interrupts others so she won’t forget what she has to say.

Smart but Scattered by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare. Includes ready made plans to teach children specific routines such as getting ready in the morning, learning to control impulsive behavior, learning not to cry over little things, and learning to solve problems. Also includes executive skills questionnaires along with sample IEP goals and progress measurement tools.

Executive Function in the Classroom: Practical Strategies for Improving Performance and Enhancing Skills for

All Students by Christopher Kaufman. Includes multiple templates for graphic organizers, building language and math fluency, note taking, homework and backpack checklists, and building social-emotional and behavioral skills. Outlines strategies for specific academic tasks and provides strong background information on brain function.

Student Behavior Improves With ISRC Support

Systematic Information Management of Educational Outcomes (SIMEO) is a shared data collection platform utilized by the Illinois State Board of Education Statewide Technical Assistance Centers. Data on individual student behavioral and emotional functioning at home and in school is collected quarterly. In FY11, SIMEO data was collected on 80 of the students receiving support from ISRC. ISRC has been collecting SIMEO data on students for four years, and is now able to look at longitudinal data on students served from July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2011. The ISRC Longitudinal Study Sample includes 72 students. The longitudinal data indicates that students receiving behavioral support from ISRC demonstrated a decrease in Office Discipline Referrals and Out of School Suspensions along with an increase in Classroom Behavioral Performance. Additional data demonstrated a decrease in Risk of Placement Failure in both the home and school environments. Data collected on individual family stressors indicated a decrease in cumulative family stress over time. The areas with the greatest decrease in family stress include parent-school relationship, aggressive or self injurious behavior of a student, respite or child care issues, and health and safety of the student. During the 2010-2011 school year, ISRC worked with 159 students on an individual basis, providing intensive level services. This represents approximately 4% of the 4,035 students in Illinois who are deaf or hard of hearing. Research indicates that 3-5% of students will need intensive level services. ISRC intensive level services include onsite visits at home and school, coordination of home-school team meetings, wraparound support, and assistance with the development of Functional Behavioral Assessments and Behavior Intervention Plans.

- ISRC Review Page 3 -

Free CPDUs - New Modules Added The Illinois Service Resource Center online E-Learning Academy offers free CPDUs to educators. The ISRC E-Learning Academy users do not need to sign-up ahead of time or wait for a course to be offered. The modules may be completed at your own pace on the ISRC website www.isrc.us under the Training tab. The collection of online modules is always expanding so check back often to find the latest offerings in free professional development.

ISRC Trivia Question

What percentage of children who are

deaf and hard of hearing have additional

disabilities?

The first person to respond correctly via phone at 847-559-8195 or via e-mail at isrc@isrc.us will win a $25 gift certificate to Walmart for educational materials.

is Reduced number of Office Discipline Referrals

Reduced number of Out of School Suspensions

Improvements in Student Classroom Behavior

ISRC Team Cheri Sinnott, LCSW Director Dr. Steve Vaupel HI Behavior Specialist Dr. Daniel Friedman Psychologist Raven Stromek HI Behavior Specialist Michalla Sedano Librarian Debi Terfruchte Parent Facilitator – CE Cathy Lyons-Guidish Parent Facilitator – S Denesha Williams Administrative Asst. Todd Williams ISBE DHH Consultant Debra Kunz ISBE Consultant - ISTAC

ISRC fiscal agent - Center on Deafness

ASL Literacy Kits On ISRC Website

The ISRC library has recently added ASL Literacy Packets based on seven popular picture books including Rainbow Fish and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Each packet includes descriptions and demonstrations of the signs in the story, and three literacy activities - including all necessary handouts or manipulatives. You can view each packet as an e-book or download it as a PDF. The ASL Literacy Packets were developed by Illinois State University graduate student Afton Gillis.

To accompany these packets, we have a copy of each of the seven books as well as a DVD of Ms. Gillis signing all of the stories. To borrow the books or the DVD from our resource library, or if you have any questions about the materials in the packets, e-mail us at isrc@isrc.us or call us at 847-559-8195.

Learn more about services and resources available from the ISRC www.isrc.us

Executive Functioning

Executive functions are the command center of our brains, helping us regulate our emotions and

organize both our thoughts and behaviors. Executive functioning challenges fall into two major

categories: skills involving thinking/cognition and skills involving doing/behavior. These skills are

separate from intellectual capabilities. An individual can be very bright, but still have weak executive

functioning skills.

Strategies For Supporting Students

Impulse Control Emotional Control Organization Transitions Provide external

structure such as

guidelines and rules

Regulate the

environment

Break down tasks into

smaller chunks

Establish a consistent,

predictable

environment

Teach clear

expectations

Discuss situations ahead

of time to provide

expectations and

predictability

Provide organizational

tools and visual

strategies such as

checklists or photo

charts

Provide visual cues

Practice expected

behaviors regularly

Provide coping

strategies by identifying

options and alternatives

Use technology – teach

student to e-mail

assignments as a

backup, use

programmable watches

or cell phone alarms as

reminders

Prompt when there will

be changes to the

routine

Provide prompts such

as visual and verbal

cues

Develop a script for

problem situations

Walk through the

planning process to

identify steps involved

in planning an activity

or task

Teach strategies for

managing changes to

routines, such as self

talk

Establish routines Read stories with

characters who have

positive behaviors such

as The Little Engine that

Could

Provide step by step

directions

Model and practice

alternate ways of

dealing with changes

Teach alternate

behaviors

Role play situations that

trigger emotional

responses

Practice planning a

meal, weekend activity,

or other event

Teach self soothing

strategies

Reinforce successful

behaviors

Reinforce successful

behaviors

Reinforce successful

behaviors

Reinforce successful

behaviors

The ABCs of Intervention for Executive Functioning

A – Antecedent (before the behavior)

• Change the environment: Distractions, structure, routine, social demands

• Change the task demands: shorten, provide specific directions, adjust the

schedule, increase desirability of task

• Change the adult interaction: rehearse, verbal prompts, written reminders,

lists

B – Behavior

• Use scaffolding and games; build skills by creating smaller goals

• Have conversations and ask questions, relate to prior experience, ask them

to describe situations, identify characteristics, associate with feelings,

review cause and effect, categorize, discuss function or use of objects

C – Consequence (after the behavior)

• Provide motivation and effective praise

• Establish goals with rewards (something to work for, look forward to)

Strategies for Executive Functioning Challenges Impulsivity

• Games that require

waiting for a turn

• Role play waiting before

responding

Working Memory

• Have the child repeat

directions

• Memory strategies such

as pneumonics

Emotional Control

• Regulate the

environment

• Role play coping

strategies

Planning and Prioritizing

• Involve child in planning

meals or activities

• Ask: “What needs to get

done first?”

Task Initiation

• Break down tasks into

smaller parts

• Provide visual cues and

reinforcements

Sustained Attention

• Gradually increase

demand for attention

• Practice with high

interest tasks

Time Management

• Discuss how long things

last/ take

• Calendars, agendas,

visual strategies, timers

Flexibility

• Discuss various

outcomes for events

• Social stories

Metacognition

• Teach specific problem

solving strategies

• Checklists to be sure

tasks are done correctly

Illinois Service Resource Center A Technical Assistance Center of the Illinois State Board of Education

Information for Pinup from:

Cooper-Kahn, J. and Dietzel, L. (2008). Late, Lost, and Unprepared. Maryland: Woodbine House Dawson, P. and Guare, G. (2009). Smart but Scattered. New York: The Guilford Press

Kaufman, C. (2010). Executive Function in the Classroom. Maryland: Brookes Publishing