ABSTRACT
At birth, human beings are reactive, controlled by the stimuli around them and their own immediate needs. A baby wakes up hungry and starts crying, then sees a spinning mobile over the crib and stops crying to watch the twirling stars. Conscious control is the first step toward engaging with others and the outside world, and eventually, imagining and achieving a plan for one's life. Students at higher grade levels who have executive dysfunction may also be lacking in the executive function skills for conscious control. Professional athletes use visualization to improve their performance. Golfers envision themselves swinging a club, skiers making a jump, swimmers racing through the pool, and so on. Teachers can use visualization to help students work through academic skills and procedures. Games are powerful for building executive function skills at all levels. While singing might be considered part of the music curriculum, it can also be a powerful activity for building foundational executive function skills.
