How I Can Help
Practical support for the things that get in the way
Executive function skills help us get things done: to start, plan, organise, manage time, persist, regulate our responses and reflect on how things are going.
Different students have different patterns of strengths and challenges. My role is to help identify what may be getting in the way and work with the student to develop practical strategies that fit their needs, circumstances and stage of independence.
What we might work on
The focus will depend on what is getting in the way for the student right now.
Getting started & sticking with it
Task initiation · Sustained attention · Goal-directed persistence
Getting started without a long delay, staying with tasks when they are boring or difficult, and following through when other things compete for attention.
Planning & organising
Planning/prioritising · Organisation · Time management
Breaking down assignments, deciding what needs to happen first, planning backwards from deadlines and creating systems that are realistic to maintain.
Managing responses & emotions
Response inhibition · Emotional control
Creating space before reacting, noticing when frustration or overwhelm is getting in the way, and developing strategies for returning to the task.
Adapting when things change
Flexibility
Adjusting when plans change, recovering when something does not work, trying another approach and managing unexpected or open-ended demands.
Holding information in mind
Working memory
Keeping track of instructions, remembering what comes next, holding onto ideas while working and using external supports when there is too much to keep in mind.
Stepping back & reflecting
Metacognition
Noticing what is and isn’t working, anticipating likely obstacles, reviewing how a plan went and deciding what to change next time.
Support at different stages
The demands change as students move through school and university, so the focus of support changes too.
Transitioning to secondary school
The move to secondary school brings a significant increase in organisation, responsibility and independence.
Timetables and multiple subjects
Homework routines
Planning ahead
Preparing for assessments
Keeping track of books, materials and equipment
Navigating new routines and expectations
Building independence
Secondary students
As workloads increase, students are expected to manage increasingly complex academic demands for themselves.
Assessment planning
Time management
Study routines
Managing busy weeks
Preparing for exams
Self-advocacy and asking for support
Understanding and using assessment adjustments or special provisions
University students
University brings more freedom, but also less external structure.
Managing multiple deadlines
Long-term planning
Self-directed study
Breaking down assignments
Balancing commitments
Self-advocacy and communicating support needs
Understanding and using reasonable adjustments or accessibility supports
Tailored to the student
No two students will need exactly the same support. The focus is determined by the student in front of me, not by a predetermined program.
Together, we identify what matters, develop strategies that fit the student, practise them in real life and gradually build the decision-making, self-awareness and independence to manage with less support.