The Learning Scientists Podcast Episode 91: Executive Functioning in Special Education with Sean McCormick
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Jul 3, 2025 Sean McCormick, Founder and Executive Director at EF Specialists, shares his expertise on executive functioning, particularly for neurodiverse students. He delves into the crucial connection between executive functions and academic success, emphasizing skills like self-regulation and cognitive flexibility. The conversation covers emotional engagement strategies and the innovative PEMDAS approach for setting SMART goals. Finally, Sean discusses building self-efficacy through manageable objectives, offering practical tips for educators and parents to empower students in achieving their learning goals.
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Cognitive Inflexibility in Autism
- Cognitive inflexibility, such as difficulty transitioning between tasks, is a hallmark of autism.
- This inflexibility reflects executive function challenges impacting behavior and learning.
Limits of Working Memory Training
- Training isolated working memory tasks rarely transfers to real-life executive function improvements.
- Functional development focuses on specific executive skills relevant to daily challenges.
Executive Function Outside Automaticity
- Executive functions operate outside of automatic processing, engaging when habits don't suffice.
- This engagement is crucial for managing unexpected or complex situations requiring self-regulation.