Catherine Gunzenhauser|Matthias Nückles
Training Executive Functions to Improve Academic Achievement: Tackling Avenues to Far Transfer
University of Freiburg|University of Freiburg
aim training executive functions usually improve ability attain reallife goals academic achievement far transfer although many executive function trainings successful improving executive functions far transfer difficult achieve cf diamond lee 2011 sala gobet 2020 perspective article focus transfer executive function training academic performance first disentangle possible sources transfer problems argue executive functions facilitate academic performance via two specific pathways namely learningrelated behaviors learningrelated cognitions discuss domainspecific factors eg taskspecific demands prior knowledge may influence successful application executive functions learning domain second discuss school setting used enhance executive function training approaches facilitating far transfer academic achievement specifically suggest training executive functions means improve academic performance promising young students behavioral domainspecific cognitive demands formal schooling quite novel challenges furthermore outline students could supported far transfer trained executive functions informed specific relevance skills learningrelated behaviors practice executive functions authentic conditions moreover suggest order promote ongoing effects executive function training beyond shortterm interventions teachers equipped consider specific executive function components might facilitate support students acquisition particular subject matter