One of my favorite “hooks” or titles to use when I’m talking about executive functioning centers around the idea that executive functioning intervention is about “more than just checklists”. 

I like this title so much because one of the go-to interventions or accommodations for students with executive functioning difficulties includes some type of visual strategy or “checklist” to help them remember steps to important tasks. 

Yet many teams are finding that students don’t use the visuals or supports they’re given, and they still aren’t able to keep up with transitions, classroom routines, or turn their assignments in on time.

That’s why in this fifth episode of my podcast series on “Five Skills to Create Your Executive Functioning Intervention Framework”, I talked about the final skill: Encoding

What I uncover in this episode:

✅ How we use encoding when making a list or planning for the future.

✅ How weak encoding skills limit a student’s ability to use supports like visual schedules, checklists, or self-talk effectively.

✅ How adults unintentionally inhibit the development of encoding when introducing cognitive tools like planners or lists.
 

✅ Why students may appear unmotivated or resistant when the real issue is an inability to visualize future events and transfer that mental imagery into words.

In this episode, I mentioned my free training for school leaders who want to create a research-based executive functioning implementation plan for their school teams. You can sign up for the training here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/efleadership

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

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