My experience of working with pupils who have ASD
Throughout my tutoring and teaching career, I have worked extensively with pupils who have ASD, and over the past eight years I have developed deeper expertise through roles in alternative provisions as well as working as a 1:2:1 tutor. These experiences have strengthened my understanding that every learner with ASD has needs unique to them, and that a flexible, individualised approach is essential.
I prioritise creating a safe, predictable environment from the very first session, building strong relationships with both pupils and their families to ensure a collaborative home–school partnership. My practice focuses on reducing anxiety through strategies such as offering choice, using low-pressure tasks, incorporating interest-led activities, and supporting co-regulation. Sessions are dynamic and responsive so that pupils’ needs are met at every stage, while we work together to remove barriers step by step and celebrate small wins.
I also provide structured, multisensory support in reading, writing, and numeracy, carefully adapted to address processing and working-memory challenges.
My experience of working with pupils who experience ADHD
Alongside my work with pupils who have ASD, I have extensive experience supporting learners with ADHD, including many who present with a combination of ASD and ADHD. These dual diagnoses often require a highly flexible and responsive approach, as pupils may experience both sensory sensitivities and challenges with attention and impulse control.
One effective strategy I use is breaking tasks into short, manageable steps with clear visual cues, combined with movement breaks and interest-based activities. This approach helps maintain focus while reducing overwhelm, and it supports self-regulation by allowing pupils to reset before continuing. By embedding choice and predictability into sessions, I create an environment where pupils feel safe, engaged, and able to succeed.
My experience of working with pupils who have sensory processing needs
I have supported many pupils with sensory processing challenges, often alongside ASD and ADHD. A key strategy I use is creating a low-stimulation environment and offering sensory breaks with calming tools such as weighted cushions or fidget items. This helps pupils regulate their sensory input, reducing anxiety and improving focus so they can engage more effectively in learning tasks.
My experience has taught me the need to ensure tailored support is provided for each learner so that they can achieve to the best of their ability. I build strong relationships not just with children, but with their families, and I prioritise safety, predictability and genuine care from the first session. I’m skilled at reducing anxiety by using choice, low-pressure tasks, interest-led activities, and co-regulation, and my sessions are dynamic to ensure that my learner’s needs are met every step of the way. In collaboration with learners, I remove barriers step by step and celebrate small wins. I also provide structured, multisensory reading, writing and numeracy support, adapted for processing and working-memory needs.
Typically, I will use a range of strategies and pedagogies, such as:-
· Numeracy and Literacy: use of kinaesthetic materials
· GCSE English (Language or Literature): anxiety-aware pacing, guided annotation of set texts, scaffolded paragraph building, and practice papers with calm coaching
· Reading & Writing Support: multisensory phonics, sentence construction vocabulary games, dictation-to-composition bridges, and interest-led prompts
· Executive Function Boost: visual schedules, chunked tasks, movement breaks, and co-created checklists that learners can reuse independently
· Life Skills, PHSE and Communication Skills: practical based sessions, with use of PECs and Social Stories to support
Please note that all sessions, whilst prepared in advance, are dynamic to suit the specific needs of each individual learner during that particular session. I have found that my dynamic, flexible approach to sessions enables the building of positive relationships and builds self-esteem.
