Double impact: Mathematics and executive function

Double impact: Mathematics and executive function

This article discusses the goal of "double impact." This goal is to develop students mathematical proficiencies and executive function skills at the same time. Executive function skills allow children to consider and change their own thinking. These are extremely important skills for children to have. The three categories of executive function skills are inhibitory control, working memory, and attention shifting and cognitive flexibility. Inhibitory control is the idea that students need to stop to think about what they are doing before they instinctively solve a problem (possibly in the wrong way). Working memory means thats students have the capability to hold and process information they have read or learned. Cognitive flexibility is the capability of students to adjust their thinking and strategies to certain situations. All of these things can be adjusted or scaffolded to meet the levels and needs of all students. Examples of modifications include: increasing or decreasing the numbers used, presenting ideas orally rather than in writing, and having students work in pairs or small groups/ 

Implications for future teaching: It is important that teachers pose questions or problems that support executive function skills in the classroom. Students need to be able to think about the problems they are solving and the ways they are solving them. These deeper level problems and situations will lead students to a deeper understanding of the concepts. 


Joswick, C., Clements, D.H., Sarama, J., Banse H.W., & Day-Hess, C.A. (2019). Double impact: Mathematics and executive function. Teaching Children Mathematics 25(7), 416 - 426.

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