AnnaD

In addition to being a qualified teacher, I have a master in psychology with British Psychological Society affiliation and specialism in education and counselling.  I am also an accredited advanced ADHD | Executive Function Coach with 50 hours of supervision to date specialising in boosting executive functioning, study and revision skills for increased personal efficiency based on unique needs, interests, aspirations and neurological profile.

I specialise in working with children, adolescents and adults with: ASD | Autism (with or without accompanying dyspraxia, fine and gross motor challenges); Executive function challenges (study skills, working memory, response inhibition, emotional control, organisation, planning, prioritisation, time management, task initiation, goal directed persistence, metacognition, flexibility challenges); ADHD; Dyslexia; Speech and language challenges; Communication and social skills challenges; Self esteem, image and confidence challenges; General developmental and global delay.

Our executive skills functions are: response inhibition, emotional control, planning, prioritisation, organisation, time management, task initiation, working memory, goal directed persistence, metacognition, cognitive flexibility. Everyone has a unique profile with executive function strengths and challenges and there is a normal variation. Our profile can look different after 6 months as a result of neuroplasticity and coaching. As our unique executive function skills might take time to develop, young people with specific, moderate and severe special needs are more likely to have more challenge in this area in the forebrain.

Research shows that when you target executive skills, learning and behaviour can improve and be long lasting. Also, boosting and empowering the executive centre of our brain helps with independence, personal efficiency, academic, work, business and life performance, which is highly linked with increased confidence and self esteem.

I have extensive experience in:

• Boosting English (Writing, Receptive and Expressive Language, Speaking, Listening, Reading,  Comprehension, Vocabulary, Spelling, Grammar, Use of English) via multiple developmentally-appropriate techniques and fun activities around students' interests;


• Gross Motor and Fine Motor Skills Programme for students with dyspraxia (ex. strengthening core and fun multi-sensory fine motor activities using tweezers, pegs etc.);


• Fun and hands-on Maths with online or multi-sensory learning activities;


• Personal Social Health Education & Humanities (I have been the Lead of Humanities & PSHE)


• Executive Function Coaching and Revision Skills | Strategies (Neuroscience based);


• Working Memory strategies (ex. Spaced repetition, active recall, etc.);


• Sustained Attention strategies; (ex. working in uninterrupted blocks | short bursts followed by movement breaks, etc.);


• Improving students' study and revision techniques that suit students' individual personality and needs (ex. using graphic organisers, tree links, mind mapping and many more);


• Organisation strategies; (ex. Using organisation grids, calendar systems, etc.)


• Goal Directed Persistence strategies;


• Task Initiation strategies; (ex. Reverse engineering, SMART goals, chunked action steps in small bytes, etc.)


• Planning and Prioritisation strategies; (ex. Revision schedule, sentence, paragraph, essay structure, comprehending and answering questions, sentence connectors, mind maps, etc.)


• Flexibility strategies;


• Metacognition strategies;


• Building students' metacognition and reflection via fun adventurous online activities, applications and games, which directly link to their executive function skills;


• Response inhibition strategies;


• Emotional control strategies including performance anxiety (ex. cognitive reframing, chunking up and down, visualisation using the visual and auditory part of the brain, etc.)

Communication, Language and Expression:

• Using Colourful Semantics;


• Using Picture Exchange Communication System;


• Aided Language Stimulation Boards;


• Makaton for Communication and increasing Self Esteem and Confidence;


• Implementing the Gina Davies Attention Autism Approach for building Attention, Expressive and Receptive Language and Independence;


• Using Play Lego / Food Therapy for Following Instructions, Turn Taking and Consolidating Curriculum Learning;


• Liaising with Professionals and Family;

Social Communication Skills Coaching

• Building children's, adolescents' and adults' Social Communication Skills via building awareness on:


• Body language: Eye contact, facial expression, gesture, distance, touch, fidgeting, posture, personal appearance;


• The way we talk: Volume, rate, clarity, intonation, fluency;


• Conversations: Listening, starting a conversation, taking turns, asking questions, answering questions, being relevant, repairing, ending a conversation;


• Assertiveness: Expressing feelings, standing up for yourself, making suggestions. Refusing, disagreeing, complaining, apologising, requesting explanations;

Confidence, Self Esteem and Independence:

• Using neuroscience, self image psychology and tailor made executive function coaching to increase inspiration, self worth and confidence;


• Using chunking (up and down) to create momentum and a sense of achievement

Behaviour:

• Using self-management and behaviour strategies;


• Working with processes;


• Working with identity

I can provide:

• Bespoke Study | Revision Skills Coaching,


• Individualised Communication, Comprehension, Phonics, Reading and Writing plan for different types of learners (including dyslexic learners);


• Social Communication Skills plan for children, adolescents and adults;


• Appropriate scaffolding when needed ex. verbal, visual, physical, gestural prompting if appropriate for increased independence; (For example, prewriting programmes for handwriting if needed);


• Makaton Training;


• Visual timetables for routine, structure and independence;


• Personalised social stories for reduced social anxiety;


• A fun approach to Maths;


• Coaching targeted to increasing motivation, confidence and self esteem;


• Self regulation and behaviour support plans;


• Risk assessments for outings.