Lynn Meltzer

Paperback 396 pages

This groundbreaking volume, now revised and updated, has given thousands of educators and clinicians a deeper understanding of executive function (EF) processes in typically developing children and those with learning difficulties and developmental disabilities. The book elucidates how PreK–12 students develop such key capacities as goal setting, organization, cognitive flexibility, working memory, and self-monitoring. Leading experts in education, neuroscience, and psychology explore the links between EF and academic performance and present practical applications for assessment and instruction. Exemplary practices for supporting students with EF difficulties in particular content areas—reading, writing, and math—are reviewed.

New to This Edition

• Updated throughout with a decade's worth of significant advances in research, theory, and educational best practices.
• Chapter on early childhood.
• Chapter on embedding EF strategies in the curriculum
• Expanded coverage of reading—chapters on recent fMRI research findings; working memory and reading; and self-regulation and reading comprehension.

“Meltzer—a pioneering, visionary researcher—is joined by a who’s who of EF experts in this second edition, which includes valuable updates and new chapters. Graduate students and experienced educators will benefit equally from the breath and scope of this book. If you were going to purchase only one volume on the topic of EF in education, it should be this second edition.”

—Sam Goldstein, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah School of Medicine; Clinical Director, Neurology, Learning, and Behavior Center


“Although the term 'executive function' is now widely used, there is still considerable confusion about its meaning and practical implications. In this outstanding second edition of Executive Function in Education, Meltzer has brought together important theories and recent research. Intervention-focused chapters offer helpful guidance on how EF knowledge can inform more effective instructional strategies in reading, writing, and math.”

—Thomas E. Brown, PhD, private practice, Manhattan Beach, California; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California


“The second edition of this indispensable volume is replete with practical guidance and current evidence-based best practices to assist educators in improving students’ abilities to manage time, monitor behavior, and employ strategies to help with organization and planning. The book presents various theoretical perspectives and explores how EF is related to cognitive abilities such as working memory and processing speed, as well as the impact of EF processes on reading, writing, and math development. Contributors provide up-to-date guidance on how to adapt instruction, improve self-regulation skills, and incorporate new digital tools to promote success in school and beyond.”

—Nancy Mather, PhD, Department of Psychoeducational Studies, University of Arizona


“The book clearly describes the sometimes confusing theories of EF and the recent research that supports them. Contributors present practical strategies for improving EF grounded in these theoretical constructs. This book is a 'must have' for professionals who evaluate, treat, and teach students with varying learning needs, as well as those in training. The volume offers real-life illustrations of the daily EF challenges that students experience and provides explicit examples of classroom strategies that are easily incorporated into lesson plans.”

—Eric Q. Tridas, MD, developmental pediatrician, Tridas Center for Child Development, Tampa, Florida