Reading Comprehension & Executive Functions. You Don’t Get One Without the Other.

In school, students are called on to learn by reading every day. Many are able to decode, but when it comes to accessing meaning and remembering what they read, they struggle. Comprehension of spoken and written language involves a swirl of cognitive and linguistic abilities, among which are executive functions, a set of brain-based processes that function as an internal air traffic controller and support learning. As executive functions don’t fully develop until adulthood, school-age children need instructional support to work independently and learn from what they read. And educators need proven strategies to help students manage all that’s involved in reading comprehension. This interactive webinar will explore the ways in which executive functions both support and constrain reading comprehension. Participants will walk away with concrete teaching strategies they can use right away to support students who struggle to glean meaning from text. Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to:

• Describe the systems involved in reading comprehension
• Explain how executive functions influence reading comprehension
• Design evidence-informed treatment and interprofessional collaboration on behalf of students whose reading comprehension is compromised.