EF Conversation #012 - EF needs opportunities to develop

Executive function doesn't just develop — it needs opportunities to develop.

We increasingly expect children to plan, organise, remember, manage distractions and work independently — all drawing on those three core EF processes.

But getting older doesn't automatically teach you how to manage those demands.

Experience, practice, scaffolding and gradually increasing independence all matter.

So are we teaching children how to manage these demands — or simply expecting them to be able to?

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References:
Zelazo, P.D., Blair, C.B. and Willoughby, M.T. (2016) Executive Function: Implications for Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Research.