Learning Differences

All kids like to move, but some kids just can't seem to stop. These kids have a hard time sitting still at home and at school. They may seem inattentive. That's why it is important to teach them strategies for controlling their bodies and strategies for...

It's not unusual for children to speak before they think about what they're going to say. Over time, they develop the ability to distinguish what they should say and what should be left unsaid. The first step in teaching children this skill is showing...

It's hard for students in grades K through 6 to recognize when they are getting angry and to manage their emotions so they can control how they react. It's a skill that takes time, practice, and self-awareness. Students will identify ways and plan...

There's a saying we've all heard, that patience is a virtue. It's also a really important life skill - and one that is tough for most young people and many adults. Helping children learn how to practice patience by staying calm and waiting their turn...

Read the storybook Uniquely Wired to help your students gain acceptance and understanding of kids living with autism. The four activities will help drive home the lessons from the story. Students will have the opportunity to interpret that people see and...

Staying on task until a job is done can be tough for adults, so it's not surprising that it's also difficult for most children. Teaching kids the importance of staying focused and finishing tasks is something that will serve them well in life. Help...

Focusing is easier said than done for some children. Being able to focus is a life skill and can help set children up for success. School counselor Bryan Smith has developed five downloadable activities for educators to use in the classroom to help teach...

Self-monitoring is the ability to observe and evaluate one’s behavior. Give students the working knowledge of learning how to pay attention, stay on task and follow instructions with these five downloadable activities from Bryan Smith's How Did You...

Working memory is an important executive function because it helps children (and adults!) recall information required to complete tasks or functions, such as notetaking, spelling, or the order of operations in math. Some children seem to excel in this...

Planning is the ability to create a roadmap to reach a goal or achieve a task, while prioritizing involves the ability to make decisions about what is important for you to focus on next. It can be challenging for children to know where to get started on...

Flexible thinking allows people to think about things in new ways or to incorporate new information into a specific plan or idea. Flexible thinkers are often able to come up with more than one solution to a problem or challenge. The ability to think...

Self-control is the ability to regulate one's emotions, thoughts, and behavior and to keep one's cool in the face of disappointment. These four activities developed by author Bryan Smith can help children with self-control. The lessons are designed to...

Impulse control is an executive functioning skill that allows you think before you act and to prioritize long-term success over short-term gains. When you have good self-control, you are able to resist doing things that may be harmful to yourself or to...

Problem solving involves many other executive functioning behaviors, including reasoning, attention, planning, initiation, working memory, and self-monitoring. Teach your students problem solving skills with these activities that accompany the...

From Bryan Smith's Fix It with Focus storybook, remind students the steps on how to change their focus when distractions occur by displaying this colorful 8.5"x11" poster in classrooms, hallways, and other common areas in your school...

Overreacting is common for children, but as they get older, it becomes more important that they learn to manage their emotions and practice flexible thinking. Reinforce the message from Bryan Smith's My Day is Ruined! storybook, by displaying...