The paper presents the analysis of developmental changes in executive functions in early school­children. 117 first­-graders (7.62±0.45 y.o.) 86 third­-graders (9.64±0.4 y.o.) participated in the study. Qualitative neuropsychological assessment and computer­based tests were used to evaluate the development of executive functions. The comparison of results in first and third graters reveals a significant improvement of temporal characteristics and accuracy of performance of the tests. The results may be evidence of the significant development of executive functions in the primary school age. In addition it is shown that the results of neuropsychological assessment and computer methods may be used as reliable predictors of learning disabilities

The article presents an overview of current research aimed at exploring the development of the executive functions of preschool children. The results of numerous studies indicate that executive functions influence different components of the academic success of children. In this regard, the question of the relationship between education and degree of development of the regulatory functions is of particular relevance. The article presents examples of individual and group approaches to the formation of executive functions in preschool age. It is shown that using a variety of strategies to work with preschool children possibly significant development of executive functions in the kindergarten. Special attention is paid to computerized programs of development of arbitrariness. Significant relationships between the quality of preschool education and the development of the executive functions were not found. Cultural characteristics have a much greater influence on the formation of arbitrariness.

The paper presents an overview of research aimed at understanding of the executive functions in childhood. The article shows that in studies focused on the role of the adult, and in the studies that pay attention to the interaction between peers and the impact of these processes on executive functions, it is clearly shown that executive functions are investigated in the line of the logic of cultural-historical theory (Vygotsky, Luria, Leontiev, Zaporozhets). It is shown that the importance of social interaction postulated by Vygotsky was experimentally justified in modern research. In these studies age dynamics in the formation of executive functions and the specific role of the adult in different stages of development are described. The communicative aspect of the interaction is emphasized, but role of an adult role as a carrier of cultural resources is not considered.