Executive Functions and Writing

Abstract Executive functions are a set of cognitive processes we use to act on information, manage resources, and plan and monitor our own behaviour, all with the aim of achieving an end goal. These are skills that develop from infancy. While ‘reading’ has been extensively studied in psychology literature, ‘writing’ has been somewhat neglected, despite a lack of capability in this area being linked to poverty and social exclusion. This book is the first to provide a comprehensive state-of-the-art review concerning the relationship between executive function skills and writing. It explores its role across the lifespan, addressing all groups of writers, from children and those with learning and language difficulties, to adults and elders. It considers theoretical viewpoints, assessment, and methodological issues, and developmental disorders, and closes with insightful commentary chapters that draw future directions for investigating executive functions.