A Magazine Edition Dedicated to EF Research--Moms With Dysgraphic Kiddos

[Heathermomster]

I met with my son's former IEW tutor on Thursday and she loaned me an excellent magazine put out by The International Dyslexia Association titled Perspectives of Language and Literacy: Understanding Executive Function Spring Edition 2014. The research in this magazine is helpful for understanding the why's of EF. If you are not a member of the IDA, the cost for the magazine is $15.  

 

I called out mothers with dysgraphic kiddos because one of the articles explains the strong link between fine motor and executive function; however, the mag will benefit any parent of a child with learning issues. Anyhoo..just wanted to share.  NAYY, YMMV

[displace]

Thanks! I'm going to look into this.

[FairProspects]

Does the magazine go into any helpful strategies for managing the EF issues beyond the usual? I guess I'm just disheartened lately in that everything I read says the exact same thing - EF issues come together with maturity, separate out different skills, give additional time, teach didacticly, accommodate with scribes & typing, etc. If I've already read about and understand all the brain science, does the magazine suggest new ideas for coping with working memory/EF issues or no? Once you have the diagnosis, it still doesn't make the issues go away, kwim?

[Heathermomster]

Does the magazine go into any helpful strategies for managing the EF issues beyond the usual? I guess I'm just disheartened lately in that everything I read says the exact same thing - EF issues come together with maturity, separate out different skills, give additional time, teach didacticly, accommodate with scribes & typing, etc. If I've already read about and understand all the brain science, does the magazine suggest new ideas for coping with working memory/EF issues or no? Once you have the diagnosis, it still doesn't make the issues go away, kwim?

This is my take on the articles as a homeschooler with no experience whatsoever with research of this nature.

 

The Relative Importance of Fine Motor Skills, Intelligence, and Executive Functions for the First Graders’ Reading and Spelling Skills by Claudia Roebers and Katja Jäger

This informational article ties together fine motor and certain aspects of non-verbal intelligence traits with EF. 

 

The Influence of Sleep and Exercise, Emotions and Stress, and Language on the Development of Executive Functions: Implications for Parents and Early-Years Learners by Claudia Tobar

I teased out the words Tae kwon do, yoga, and aerobic physical activity for improved inhbition control.  The article mentioned a paper to support these exercises, but the research has only been submitted and not published

 

Executive Functioning and Language: A Complementary Relationship That Supports Learning by Monica Gordon-Pershey

This article covers the importance of verbalization and self-talk.  A list of metacognition questions are provided and can be used by adults and educators to model for the student.  Role playing is mentioned as well as a list of social verbalization questions that may be used with students.

 

At the Crossroads of Education and Development Neuroscience: Perspectives on Executive Function by C Cybele Raver and Clancy Blair

There was nothing new here for me to see.

 

Change of Mind: Cognitive flexibility in the Classroom by Mariëtte Huizinga, Diana P. Smidts, and K. Richard Ridderinkhof

This article addresses cognitive flexibility and provides a list of suggestions to make classroom teaching more predictable.  Basically, the suggestions stress the importance of routines and clear, systematic organization.  Specific suggestions are also made with the goal to provide clear instructions to the student and aimed at helping children adjust to new circumstances with school related activities.

 

Developmental Impairments of Working Memory: Profiles and Interventions by Susan E. Gathercole and Joni Holmes

I didn’t see anything new here.  This article supports, though not specifically, the typical accommodations most of us provide to handle WM deficits.

 

Inhibitory Control as a Core Mechanism for Cognitive Development and Learning at School by Grégoire Borst and Olivier Houdé

This article addresses something that I have noted with my own child while working on math problems.  The article addresses faulty heuristic thinking while solving math problems and that relationship with EF.  The article recommends pedagogical interventions to improve inhibition control (and the automatic leap to faulty thinking) but provides no specifics, which is annoying.

[FairProspects]

Thank you, that was a very helpful summary!

[FairProspects]

DP

[geodob]

While Executive Functions have been used to market this article in their magazine.

It is really a misuse of the term.

Where the idea of: 'Executive Functions for the First Graders’.

Is really a joke?

But what we are really talking about, is the part of our brain behind our forehead.

Called our Frontal Lobes.

Which isn't a single thing, but a whole collection of different regions within the Frontal Lobes.

 

Where these different regions operate as Administrators of the other brain regions.

Much like Dept Heads.

Where this reciprocal development of different brain regions, and their administration, needs to be appreciated?

How we develop the ability to administrate our brains?

 

Where most brain regions operate automatically, as recievers and processors of sensory information.'

While our Occipital lobes process visual information.

They don't have any thinking or decision making ability.

Our frontal lobes are used to select what to focus on, within this visual information.

But what this ability to focus actually involves?

Is the ability to 'inhibit; other information.

 

Where this ability to 'inhibit' information?

Begins at birth, with exposure to 'Primitive Reflexes'?

Where part of the Frontal Lobes, are the 'Motor' and 'Pre-Motor' regions.

While the Motor region produces a Reflex,

A Baby develops the ability to use Pre-Motor region, to inhibit these Reflexes.

 

Where the Frontal Lobes are conductors, that orchestrate the brain.

[Heathermomster]

I agree and disagree with the magazine.  The articles never attempt to explain the root cause of motor control issues so prim reflexes, sensory issues, and vestibular never get so much as a nod.  I think the articles only make the connection between EF and motor because that connection supposedly supports what grammar staged teachers have been seeing in their classrooms.  The articles are directed at educators, not PTs/OTS or research scientists. (ETA: I don't recall even seeing a labeled diagram of the brain.)

 

The magazine spells out three core EFs identified as cognitve flexibility, inhibitory control, and working memory.  The articles attempt to explain what EF deficiencies look like in a classroom and help classroom teachers/educators deal with the end result.  Speaking for myself, I want reasonable, research proven and actionable items to help and understand my child.  

 

Overall, how are the articles helpful?  I liked the final article about faulty math thinking.  I also actually gleaned that my kid needs to revisit an PT/OT for prim refex/vestibular type stuff and that martial arts, yoga, and exercise were beneficial.  The articles assigned a name to behaviors that I have witnessed for years.  I also feel compassion for DS and anger after reading the articles because so few NPs seem to know how to connect the dots between therapies and providers. I feel like I have wasted precious remedial opportunities by not seeking out a better OT/PT sooner.   We meet the new PT on Wednesday for a re-evaluation.

 

When I spoke of vestib and prim refex issues to son's NP, she'd never heard of it and suggested it was all a crock.  I know there is validity to motor and prim reflex/vestib EF issues and I wish there was more attention brought to those issues.  In my view, sensory motor and prim reflex/vestib issues cannot be emphasized enough.

[FairProspects]

It is really frustrating how varied care, diagnoses, & therapies can be. We are just lucky to live in a major metro area with tons of experts and so were able to get diagnosis and therapies early. I wish everyone could have good access to providers early on.

[Simar]

I'm new on this board and I'm reading all threads related to EF.

 

I have limited knowledge on EF but this what I could share with you:

 

Three weeks ago I went to a parent talk by Steven Hughes in our local montessori school.(http://www.goodatdoingthings.com/Dr._Steve_Hughes/About_Dr._Hughes.html)

 

Dr. Hughes mentioned a lot about EF in his talk and after his talk I went to ask him the requestion on how to strengthen EF for my 6yo daughter, he told me to do activities with "complex motor sequence". He mentioned 3 things, gymnastics, dance, and traditional martial arts (as opposed to competition focused modern martial arts) , because they use the same area as EF, the PFC, and because they constantly challenge the PFC by keep moving up to a higher level (learn one set of movement using the PFC then that set automatically moves out of PFC area to be handled by a sub-something area of the brain (I can't remember the term he used) and then learn a new, slightly more complex set of movement to challenge the PFC again and then that set, once mastered, automatically moves to the other area and then learn a even more complex set of movement, so when the level keeps going up and up the PFC keeps getting more and more strengthened.)

 

He also recommended me to read everything on Adele Diamond's website (http://www.devcogneuro.com/) and particularly her EF review paper published in 2013. Adele Diamond's researches focus on EF and EF for young children.

 

If you would like to read EF papers based on research, this is the list of all Adele Diamond's publications: http://www.devcogneuro.com/AdeleDiamond.html#Pubs

 

And here is her 2013 review paper: http://www.devcogneuro.com/Publications/ExecutiveFunctions2013.pdf  

 

I'm reading the 2013 review slowly, with my pen and dictionary (I'm an ESL). Here is one paragraph from that paper:

 

"EF gains from training in task switching (Karbach & Kray 2009), traditional martial arts (Lakes & Hoyt 2004) and school curricula (Raver et al. 2011, Riggs et al. 2006) have been wider, perhaps because the programs address EFs more globally. For example, training task switching (which arguably requires all three core EFs) transferred not only to an untrained task-switching task, but also to inhibition (Stroop interference), verbal and nonverbal WM, and reasoning (Karbach&Kray 2009)."

 

and this:

 

"EF demands need to be continually incrementally increased or few gains are seen".

 

This last sentence backed up what Dr Hughes said about "complex motor sequence"

 

Here are two youtube videos by Adele Diamond that I found helpful:

 

  - Talk about what is 

 

 - Talk about what to do 

 

I'm now considering ballroom dancing for my daughter and looking for a task switching train program for home use.

 

Does C8science Activate include task switching? Does anyone know? Its home pilot program is closed for maintenance at the moment so I cant buy it.

 

Simar

[Heathermomster]

Simar, thank-you for that information!  I was curious why Tae kwon do was mentioned in the EF articles but not Karate and you answered that question.

 

I can't answer your C8science question because I've never heard of it.  I wanted to suggest that you take your child for an OT evaluation to ensure there are no vestibular or primitive reflex issues.  If you do that, ask the OT to tell whether a sensory (SIPT) evaluation would be appropriate.  Prior to making any appointments, it might be appropriate to ask whether a sensory qualifed OT is kept on staff.  

 

My DS was evaluated a little over two years ago and received Interactive Metronome therapy for about 6 weeks and completed daily balance type exercises during that time.  We were told that he had two retained prim reflexes, the ATNR and the STNR.   The exercises he performed over the 6 week period and supposedly cleared those up.  I'm not convinced, so he is seeing a different OT/PT today.  

 

Thank-you again for the info and welcome to the boards!

[Simar]

Thanks, Heathermomster.

 

I will look for an OT to start with. 

 

Read people mentioned your IM instruction. Is that to use with a metronome at home without having to go to therapist? 

[Heathermomster]

Thanks, Heathermomster.

 

I will look for an OT to start with. 

 

Read people mentioned your IM instruction. Is that to use with a metronome at home without having to go to therapist? 

One of the moms asked me to describe my son's experience with IM, so I explained the process.  I believe some moms have attempted to do IM at home; however, my DS practiced IM at home and visited with an OT once per week.  DS tested out of OT after 7 weeks.

[Simar]

If you are not a member of the IDA, the cost for the magazine is $15.  

 

 

Just wanted to add that you can get all the articles for free at this site:

 

http://www.onlinedigeditions.com/allarticle/13959/210099/210099/allarticle.html

[Tiramisu]

Simar, thank-you for that information!  I was curious why Tae kwon do was mentioned in the EF articles but not Karate and you answered that question.

 

I can't answer your C8science question because I've never heard of it.  I wanted to suggest that you take your child for an OT evaluation to ensure there are no vestibular or primitive reflex issues.  If you do that, ask the OT to tell whether a sensory (SIPT) evaluation would be appropriate.  Prior to making any appointments, it might be appropriate to ask whether a sensory qualifed OT is kept on staff.  

 

My DS was evaluated a little over two years ago and received Interactive Metronome therapy for about 6 weeks and completed daily balance type exercises during that time.  We were told that he had two retained prim reflexes, the ATNR and the STNR.   The exercises he performed over the 6 week period and supposedly cleared those up.  I'm not convinced, so he is seeing a different OT/PT today.  

 

Thank-you again for the info and welcome to the boards!

 

Interesting. My family does a "traditional" form of kung fu, though I'm not really sure what the "traditional" in its name means. There do seem to be more "complex" motor sequences in kung fu than other types of martial arts I've seen. The one who did kung fu the longest did seem to have poorer fine motor skills and worse sensory issues than the others early on, but, without a doubt, has the best EF in the house now, 10 years later. Maybe there's hope for the youngest. :)

[Simar]

Interesting. My family does a "traditional" form of kung fu, though I'm not really sure what the "traditional" in its name means. There do seem to be more "complex" motor sequences in kung fu than other types of martial arts I've seen. The one who did kung fu the longest did seem to have poorer fine motor skills and worse sensory issues than the others early on, but, without a doubt, has the best EF in the house now, 10 years later. Maybe there's hope for the youngest. :)

 

This is great to hear!

 

From what you have observed in the Kung Fu your family does, are there many character-building activities, eg, teaching values, asking questions like "why are you here", "what do you do with the kung fu you have learned", etc?

 

There is another thread discussing EF and talked about martial arts: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/528135-executive-function-training/

 

It seems to me the word "traditional" means it includes the teaching of values. 

[Tiramisu]

This is great to hear!

 

From what you have observed in the Kung Fu your family does, are there many character-building activities, eg, teaching values, asking questions like "why are you here", "what do you do with the kung fu you have learned", etc?

 

There is another thread discussing EF and talked about martial arts: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/528135-executive-function-training/

 

It seems to me the word "traditional" means it includes the teaching of values. 

 

I think that the traditional in our school is the specific branch of kung fu. However, they do have a recitation where they promise to respect parents, teachers, etc. The teacher is a religious man (RC) and that influences how he does things and what he talks about. There are many different kinds of people there, and dh has been going for many years with the kids has met some great guy friends among that crowd.

 

I haven't seen the other thread, but I'll mention that kung fu seems to have more fine motor emphasis than karate, for example.