Using Student Talk to Improve Flexible Thinking in Middle School

Posted In Discussion On June 11, 2025

Encouraging student talk to improve flexible thinking can be one of the most powerful ways to strengthen executive function skills in your classroom. Middle schoolers in grades 5–8 are at a crucial stage in their development, both academically and socially, and flexibility is one of the key executive function skills that supports not only their learning but also their relationships and behavior. When students engage in structured discussions, they get the chance to reflect on their own thinking, consider new perspectives, and learn the value of adapting to change.

What Is Flexibility in Executive Function Instruction?

In the world of executive function instruction, flexibility means being able to adapt to changes, shift thinking, and adjust to new demands. It’s about helping students recognize when they are stuck in a fixed mindset and giving them the tools to pivot. Flexibility is part of the broader system of executive function skills that help students regulate their behavior, solve problems, and engage successfully in academic and social settings.

Students who struggle with this skill may react strongly to changes in plans, have difficulty switching tasks, or resist trying new strategies when their first effort doesn’t work. Through intentional executive function strategies, especially ones that involve student talk to improve flexibility, teachers can build student confidence, support emotional regulation, and improve academic performance.

Using Student Talk to Improve Flexible Thinking

When students are given structured opportunities to talk, reflect, and hear others’ perspectives, they become more flexible in their thinking. Here are some discussion prompts to use during executive function lessons that promote student talk to improve flexible thinking. These questions are designed to build self-awareness, support social-emotional growth, and enhance executive functioning tools.

Imagine a classmate who is working on being more flexible, like handling changes in plans or switching activities. How could you help them practice flexibility in class?

This question supports empathy and cooperation. When students consider how to help someone else build a skill, they internalize the steps themselves. Peer support is also an effective behavior management strategy, as it can lead to smoother transitions and fewer disruptions.

How do you think your classroom would be better if everyone used flexible thinking, like being okay with changes or understanding different perspectives? Why do you think flexibility can be hard for some students?

This prompt encourages group reflection and creates shared goals. It helps students recognize that developing executive function skills like flexibility benefits everyone, not just those who struggle.

Why do you think some changes are easy to handle while others are harder? Can you share an example of each?

Reflecting on personal experience strengthens self-awareness and self-regulation. Students begin to see patterns in their own reactions, which helps with executive function learning and allows teachers to guide more personalized flexibility interventions.

Can you share a time when you formed a first impression about someone or something, but later realized you needed to change your thinking? What helped you shift your perspective?

This question taps into students’ social skills and critical thinking. It invites honesty and encourages a growth mindset—an essential outcome of any effective executive function curriculum.

Why is it helpful to come up with more than one solution when solving a problem? Can you think of a time when having multiple ideas helped you?

Flexibility is deeply tied to problem-solving. Students who can brainstorm multiple solutions are more resilient and perform better academically. These kinds of executive functioning tools empower students to take initiative, reduce frustration, and improve their academic performance.

The Benefits of Student Talk for Executive Function Instruction

Student talk is more than just conversation—it’s an instructional tool that meets student learning needs in dynamic, personalized ways. By embedding student talk to improve flexible thinking, you build student agency, improve classroom climate, and support executive function development.

Teachers who prioritize this kind of discussion are engaging in purposeful executive function instruction. They are using executive function strategies that improve students’ academic performance and support behavior management by giving students the tools they need to adjust their actions and reactions.

Whether you’re working with students who need help navigating unexpected schedule changes or students who struggle with group work due to rigid thinking, teaching executive function skills like flexibility through discussion can be transformative. By encouraging middle school students to reflect, question, and talk, you’re building a classroom culture that values growth, adaptability, and mutual understanding.

Want More Ideas?

• Click here for additional flexibility discussion questions for grades 1–4.
• Click here for additional flexibility discussion questions for grades 9–12.

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