Adapt instructional environments to variability in children's EF development through supports, classroom organization, and peer-interaction management¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 4 claims (4 for) · 2 studies (1 review, 1 associational), q2–q3 · 0 of 2 report an effect size · 4 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The article's educational implications recommend creating instructional environments that account for differences in the timing of EF development. The authors state that "providing additional supports to children in challenging situations, implementing classroom organizational strategies, and managing peer interactions can be effective ways to a deal with variability in children’s EF skills" and support students entering school with relatively low EF. Cited evidence includes whole-group activities placing higher regulation demands than small-group instruction, and organized classrooms with explicitly detailed activities reducing cognitive demands on children to plan their own actions.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• teachers should be aware that certain instructional settings place different demands on children's EF, such as whole-group versus small-group formats

Constraints¶

• the article states much more experimental research is needed on whether such environmental changes can place children on different math trajectories

Target Learners¶

• early elementary and preschool children, particularly those who develop EF later

Target Learning Goals¶

• supporting math achievement through managing EF demands in the classroom

Claims¶

• With covariates, early and intermediate EF groups become indistinguishable in math level and growth, but the later EF group's disadvantage remains [+W]
• Early EF developers start pre-k with higher math levels than intermediate and later developers and maintain that advantage over time [+W]
• Without covariates, the rate of math growth and the shape of growth did not differ across the three EF trajectory groups [+W]
• Teachers promoted inclusive classroom environments by organizing time and space and fostering peer inclusion [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Teacher practices of behavior analysis, encouraging independent decisions, and providing easy-to-use EF materials

Examples¶

-

Key Sources¶

• Sammy F. Ahmed, Janelle J. Montroy, Lori E. Skibbe, Ryan P. Bowles, & Frederick J. Morrison. (2022). The Timing of Executive Function Development is Associated with Growth in Math Achievement from Preschool through Second Grade. Manuscript in-press at Learning and Instruction. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3814-2955