10/23/2026
In our Thursday Executive Functioning class with middle and high school students, we’ve spent the month of October exploring working memory and the important role it plays in learning and everyday life.
Working memory can be challenging for anyone! Its effectiveness is influenced by a variety of factors, including physiological needs, mood, stress, and current cognitive load. For individuals with neurodivergent brains, these demands can be especially challenging.
While we work daily, and in every class, to implement strategies, supports, and accommodations that meet our learners where they are, we also love introducing new tools that can help strengthen their executive functioning skills.
Today, we introduced bilateral stimulation exercises and explored how these activities engage attention, coordination, and different neural networks within the brain.
Research suggests that regular physical movement, coordination exercises, and other cognitively engaging activities may support executive functioning skills, including working memory, by promoting brain health and engaging networks associated with the prefrontal cortex. While research on bilateral stimulation specifically is still evolving, these simple exercises offer another opportunity for students to practice focus, coordination, and self-regulation.
Our goal is never to change how our students’ brains work, but rather to equip them with tools, strategies, and experiences that help them understand their brains and thrive!
