Author: Student Support

What is Executive Functioning?
Executive Functioning refers to a set of cognitive processes that enable individuals to manage and regulate their thoughts, emotions, and actions. These processes include planning, organizing, time management, working memory, and self-regulation. When our executive functions are well-developed, we can set goals, make informed decisions, and adapt to various situations effectively.

Supporting Executive Functioning Skills 
The way we support executive functioning skills for our learners with IEPs is crucial for helping them succeed academically and in life. Often these learners face challenges related to organization, time management, impulse control, and more. Below are some strategies and approaches that can be used to help learners develop and strengthen their executive functioning skills.

1. Initiating: Increase the structure of tasks. Break assignments into smaller steps. Establish and rely on routines.
2. Sustaining: Rely on high-interest tasks and give learners a choice among topics of interest to increase their investment. Keep instructions clear and repeat as needed, allow breaks, and use variety.
3. Inhibiting: Work on strategies to help resist distractions and manage impulsive behaviors. Some examples include deep breathing, counting to ten, and using self-monitoring tools. 
4. Shifting: Increase routine in the day by making the schedule clear and in view and discuss changes to the schedule as soon as possible.
5. Organizing: Begin with tasks that have only a few steps and increase gradually. Create a system of routine and use visual cues to help navigate daily schedules. Use tools like binders, folders, and color-coded labels.
6. Planning: Verbalize a plan before beginning a task. Set achievable goals and create short-term objectives along with an action plan to reach those objectives. 
7. Self-Monitoring: Reflect on your actions and allow for self-critiquing and peer-critiquing of work. Create checklists to monitor the completion and progress of tasks.
8. Working Memory: Chunk information into units of 3-4 items. Practice active reading and play games that require visual memory, like cards. 

This month, several of our Student Support learners chose some of their facilitators to spotlight and give a shoutout to. We hope you enjoy hearing from them about the support they’ve received from our staff this year!

Kaden Sibert:

Hello! My name is Kaden Sibert. I have been working with iLEAD Exploration for two years, in 7th grade and 8th grade. My first year was hard for me because of family matters. I had rarely any time to study and was falling behind until my father took us in and helped me knock down this big wall of schoolwork. My friends, family, and facilitators helped me one bit at a time, and I ended up making it.

Ms. Melissa helped me set goals, and so far I’ve been reaching these goals every single day. I work hard each day as if it were my last day.

In 8th grade,  I was being cocky because I was ahead of other learners at the beginning of this school year, but I ended up falling behind. But as the saying goes, “Don’t act too high and mighty, because tomorrow you might fall down on your face.” Ms. Melissa helped me catch up in a small amount of time. I am so close to my finals and feel slightly confident.

Ms. Taylor helped with my emotions and dealing with my family matters. These two years have been an emotional rollercoaster, but with my facilitators’ guidance, I made it and I persevered. I would recommend iLEAD Exploration to my friends because of the resources provided and how they can help you learn independently. Thank you, Ms. Taylor and Ms. Melissa, for guiding me in these tough times. 

Sincerely,

Kaden Sibert

Laine Kneisler:

iLEAD is a great school! I’ve been to many charter schools, and this is my personal favorite. They have helped me so much with my reading and writing.

Here are some people who helped me with achieving those things:

Thanks to Ms. Jolie for being a great educational facilitator.

Thanks to Ms. Michelle, Ms. Elizabeth, and Ms. Michelle Spansel for helping me improve my spelling and reading skills.

Thank you, Ms. Anna, for showing me some useful tools that I can use to make my writing better.

I’m glad I was in this school and hope others feel the way I do.

One big thing I can recall is that Ms. Elizabeth would constantly help me with writing my story for a school project, and I’m really grateful she did that.

Thanks for all the effort that you guys put in for me. 

Sincerely,

Laine Kneisler 

Joseph Tapia:

What I Like Most About My  Facilitator

What I like most about Ms. Mikaylah is that she’s funny and we do cool games together. It makes speech fun. 

Something My Teacher Always Says:

Ms. Michelle always says I can put stickers and other things on the Jamboard to make it more interesting and fun. 

My Favorite Activity:

My favorite activity this year was the Mother’s Day activity I did with Ms. Elizabeth. It was fun to try to not be conspicuous since my mom was around! I’m most proud of myself for making two comic books this year.

Favorite Memory:

Seeing all my different facilitators every day helps make school easier and less boring. If I had to go to school in person, I would not enjoy it and it would be hard. My iLEAD facilitators make school better. 

Sincerely,

Joseph Tapia

Ruby Trancraitor:

My learning experience with iLEAD has been amazing this year. All my facilitators have helped me learn and do new things that I know I will use now and later in life. My mom taught me English this year, and I learned a lot about how to make my writing sound interesting and creative.

Ms. Pansini is a really great EF, and she has made my learning this year more interesting and fun.

Ms. Elizabeth helped me a lot this year with 8th grade and pre-algebra. I really understand fractions because she showed me how to do it fast and right!

I feel very grateful for all the support and help from all my iLEAD facilitators this year! 

Sincerely,

Ruby Trancraitor 

Lauren Sanders:

Hi! I’m Lauren, and I’ve had a fun experience with iLEAD. I’m very glad to be a part of iLEAD. I have had great facilitators along the way, such as Ms. Sarah, Ms. Elizabeth, and Ms. Kimberly. My mom has helped me with homeschool this year. I like homeschooling because it so fun and great. I get to stay home and do schoolwork as well as go to other places to homeschool. I like doing homeschooling and doing work with my facilitators. I like to homeschool with my mom because it’s so fun and great to have mother and daughter time together. I love going to The Source in Buena Park together very much; we get to homeschool, get smoothies, and look around places. I like doing work with my facilitators on Zoom classes because it helps me learn better and I am proud of myself. 

I am also proud of myself for writing my own stories. My latest one is called “Who Is in the Kitchen?” It is a scary story that I wrote and my facilitator, Ms. Elizabeth, helped me with editing. Going through the whole story together and reading it was very fun and a lot of work. I like playing games with my facilitators as well to help me understand things more. It means very much to me and I’m thankful for all of the facilitators and my mom for helping me with homeschooling.

Sincerely,

Lauren Sanders

Looking for books to add to your readers’ collections? We’ve compiled a summer reading list for different reading levels! Let’s get reading!

Early Readers:
The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths (book series)
Real Pigeons Fight Crime by Ben Wood (book series)
Stella Diaz Has Something to Say (series) by Angela Dominguez
Planet Omar (series) by Zanib Mian
Trapped in a Video Game (series) by Dustin Brady
Word Travelers and the Taj Mahal Mystery (series) by Raj Haldar
A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying (series) by Kelley Armstrong

Chapter Books:
Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas
Lightcasters by Janelle McCurdy
Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat
The Van Gogh Deception by Deron Hicks
Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander
All of Me by Chris Baron
Finally Seen by Kelly Yang

High School Books:
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
If Ur Stabby by Kaz Windness
The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
Steelheart (The Reckoners Series) by Brandon Sanderson
The Selection by Kiera Cass
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
The Maze Runner by James Dasher
Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel by Jason Reynolds
The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
Cinder (Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer

Check out these DIY bookmarks you can make at home! Holding your place has never been so fun!

Crochet Harry Potter Bookmarks: If you know how to do a single crochet stitch, you can use this pattern to create a scarf with your favorite house’s colors. Left in Knots

Ribbon Tassel Bookmarks: Take a paper clip and a few snips of colorful ribbons, and—voila!—you have a colorful new place holder. Good Life Eats

Photo Bookmarks: Capture a few shots of your learner holding an imaginary balloon, print out and laminate the pictures, and then attach them to colorful tassels. Be a Fun Mum

Paint Sample Bookmark: Grab a collection of free paint samples from your local hardware store, add some colorful ribbon strands, and let loose with a Sharpie. She’s Crafty and She Knows It

Duct Tape Bookmark: Remember when duct tape only came in black? These days there is something for everyone with all of the colorful prints available. Sensibly Sara

Monster Corner Bookmarks: These cute bookmarks will have you ready to take a big bite into that book! Kelly “D” Dot

Getting your kids to start reading can sometimes be a challenge. Below are 10 tips to get (and keep) your kids reading!

1. Host book swaps. Many families will have books they’re ready to get rid of. Schedule one or several dates throughout the summer where previously loved books can be exchanged for exciting new finds. Each one could even be themed!

2. Find a local summer reading program. They often have games, prizes, or some sort of tangible reward depending on the amount read.

3. Create a summer reading list and resources to give your learner choices. Build custom summer reading lists unique to each learner so learners have their very own collection of exciting summer titles.

4. Think outside the book. All reading counts. Magazines, street signs, billboards, restaurant menus, recipes, grocery lists, age-appropriate blogs, websites and more. Encourage your learner to seize every available opportunity to devour the written word.

5. Encourage social reading. Whether this looks like a handful of friends reading the same book or encouraging/facilitating periodic book club Zoom meetups, learners are more likely to read when they know others are reading too. Having the opportunity to share and discuss what they’re reading is a silver lining!

6. Share in the reading. Pick books you can read together as a family.

7. Go outside! Reading doesn’t have to be at a desk. Children can take their books outside to change up their summer reading environment (examples: a cozy reading fort, a hammock in the yard, an outside reading tent).

8. Dive into a series, and allow for a little role reversal. Let your learner pick the series and read to you before bed.

9. Host a book tasting! Pick a theme (maybe related to other summer activities) and find four or five books to highlight with a short summary (or ones others have read and can tell about) for your learner and friends to pick from.

10. Celebrate any and all reading!

It’s time to show some love for those unsung heroes of education—Speech-Language Pathologists, or SLPs as we affectionately call them! These professionals work tirelessly to help individuals of all ages overcome communication difficulties. So let’s take a moment to appreciate their creativity and dedication.

First, have you ever heard an SLP tell a joke? Well, they can be hilarious! From tongue twisters to puns and even funny voices, SLPs know how to use humor to engage and motivate their learners. And let’s face it, working on one’s speech and language skills can be challenging, but a good laugh can make the process enjoyable.

Second, SLPs are some of the most creative people around. They come up with innovative ways to help learners improve their speech and language skills. From using play-based therapy to incorporating technology into their sessions, SLPs are always thinking outside the box. And let’s not forget those amazing visual aids and props they use to make their lessons fun and interactive!

Last, SLPs are some of the most dedicated professionals out there. They truly care about their learners and will go above and beyond to help them achieve their goals. Whether it’s staying late to prepare for a session or working on a learner’s communication skills outside of sessions, SLPs are always willing to put in the extra effort.

In conclusion, SLPs are a unique and special group of professionals who deserve our appreciation and recognition. So if you know an SLP, take a moment to thank them for all they do. And if you are an SLP, know that you are making a difference in the lives of so many individuals and that your creativity and dedication are truly appreciated!

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 8-12! We are so thankful for all the wonderful facilitators and education specialists here at iLEAD and for all the hard work they put in day after day. Show your appreciation for them this week!