Webinar | Strategies That Boost Students' Executive Function Skills

Facilitator

Valerie Saxton Sharpe
Valerie Saxton Sharpe is an educational consultant specializing in cognitive disabilities, executive functioning, and teacher preparation. She co-founded Project Boost and co-authored The Executive Function Guidebook, which outlines a 7-Step Model for teaching executive function skills to K–12 students. As Co-Director of the Institute on Executive Functioning, she provides training and resources for educators worldwide. Val has trained teachers and administrators globally and continues to support executive function growth through metacognitive strategies.

Previously, Val worked as a special education teacher, department chair, and instructional specialist in Maryland. She also prepared future teachers at Hood College and Towson University, where she led innovative initiatives in inclusive education and teacher training. Val has received multiple awards for her contributions and served in leadership roles for the Council for Exceptional Children and other advocacy organizations supporting individuals with disabilities.


Roberta Strosnider
Dr. Roberta Atha Strosnider, Professor Emerita in Special Education at Towson University, is an educational consultant specializing in executive functioning, learning disabilities, and teacher preparation. She co-founded Project Boost, which supports K–12 students in developing executive function skills using a 7-Step Model described in The Executive Function Guidebook. Alongside co-author Val, Roberta provides global training for educators through the Institute on Executive Functioning, offering both in-person and online instruction, materials, and videos.

Roberta holds degrees in education from Fairmont State University, West Virginia University, and Virginia Tech. Her career spans classroom teaching, administrative roles, and leadership in teacher education programs. She has received numerous honors, including the Floyd G. Hudson Award from the Council for Learning Disabilities and the Nasim Dil Award for service in special education. A strong advocate for students with disabilities, Roberta has contributed extensively through research, professional development, and policy work, currently representing the Council for Learning Disabilities on national education committees.

[Recorded] Date: Monday, April 17, 2023
Duration: 60 minutes

Executive Function (EF) skills allow individuals to self-regulate and successfully interact with others, manage their time, organize and prioritize tasks, focus, and more. In this webinar with authors Valerie Saxton Sharpe and Roberta Strosnider, you’ll learn the metacognitive strategies shown most effective in facilitating students’ readiness and success in learning, plus

• How EF skill deficits in students present and the importance of addressing them
• Metacognitive learning strategies to help boost students' EF growth
• Strategies for weaving EF skill training into the daily instructional routine