Unstuck and On Target!: An Executive Function Curriculum to Improve Flexibility, Planning, and Organization

For students with executive function challenges, problems with flexibility and goal-directed behavior can be a major obstacle to success in school and in life. With the enhanced second edition of this popular curriculum now optimized for both in-person and virtual instruction you'll have everything you need to explicitly teach executive function skills in today's educational environment.

A highly effective intervention for students ages 8-11, Unstuck & On Target! gives you 21 ready-to-use, field-tested lessons that boost critical skills like cognitive flexibility, problem solving, coping, and goal setting. Ideal for use with learners with autism, ADHD, and other challenges that affect executive function, this curriculum includes a comprehensive manual and a package of digital, downloadable components that are easy to print and use in face-to-face or virtual settings.

Unstuck and On Target! Benefits:

• Optimized for the way you teach today. The new reconfigured format makes the kit more flexible-you can use it in schools or during remote instruction.
• Meets the needs of MTSS Tier 2 learners. This proven curriculum is one of the few tailored to the needs of Tier 2 students who need more focused instruction.
• Gives you explicit, step-by-step routines, activities, and scripts to help students improve executive function skills.
• Targets the flexibility and planning skills every student needs to learn effectively, reduce stress, get along with others, problem-solve, and more.
• Can be done with any class, by any teacher. Each ready-to-use lesson comes complete with clear instructions, materials lists, and tips for teachers.
• Makes learning fun with engaging games, role plays, stories, and lively class discussions.
• Reinforces new skills through 19 Home Practice handouts in English and Spanish.

WHAT'S IN THE REFORMATTED KIT: One print manual * Two digital, print-ready gameboards, available as one-page 11x17 PDFs, two-page 8.5x11 PDFs, and PowerPoint files * Four digital, print-ready posters * 50+ handouts―digital downloads now available as fillable PDFs.

Lynn Cannon, M.Ed., is a social learning specialist at The Ivymount School and The Maddux School. Ms. Cannon received her M.Ed., in Special Education from the University of Virginia. For over 15 years, she has worked as an educator, administrator and program director, serving students with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Ms. Cannon is also a co-author of Solving Executive Challenges, a resource guide for teachers and parents and The Conversation Club, an instructional manual for teaching conversation skills to students with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Her research and teaching interests are in developing interventions and support materials for students with neurodevelopmental disabilities, therapists, educators and their families. She is currently working with federal grant to develop IvySCIP, an assessment, IEP development tool and curricular resource for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Lauren Kenworthy, Ph.D., is Professor of Neurology, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry at the George Washington University School of Medicine, and Director of the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at Children's National Health System. Dr. Kenworthy received her B.A. from Yale University and Ph.D. from the University of Maryland. Her research interests are in describing and treating the neuropsychological phenotype of autism. She is an author of more than 60 peer-reviewed publications, and a co-author of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF).

Katie C. Alexander, M.S., OTR/L, is an occupational therapist and clinician-researcher. Ms. Alexander received her B.S. and post-professional masters from the University of Kansas Medical Center. For over 15 years, she has specialized in community and school-based intervention for individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities and served as the founding program director for the Model Asperger Program at The Ivymount School. Her research and clinical interests are in developing interventions and supports that improve the daily lives of individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families.

Monica Adler Werner, M.S., is the Director of the Model Asperger Program (MAP) at the Ivymount School. In that capacity she has spearheaded the development of a social learning curriculum that emphasizes problem solving, self advocacy and self regulation. Ms Werner has been a major contributor to the development of the intervention. In addition, she is a co-founder of Take2 Summer Camp, a program designed to develop social thinking, problem solving and skills. She also serves as an ad hoc public reviewer of NIMH autism grants.

Laura Gutermuth Anthony, Ph.D., completed a dual degree Ph.D. program in clinical and developmental psychology at the University of Illinois, Chicago in 1997. Since then, she has focused her research and clinical work on children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, including more than 30 publications. She has also received funding for 11 federally-funded and 7 foundation research grants including a current Patient Centered Outcome Research Institute (PCORI) Addressing Disparities award for children with autism and ADHD to study this intervention.