Overview
This service is study strategy coaching, not assessment or treatment. We do not diagnose dyslexia, ADHD or any other condition, and you do not need a diagnosis to work with us. If you think you may have an undiagnosed learning difference, we can explain how assessment usually works and point you to your institution's disability or accessibility service.
Sessions start from your own coursework and daily routine. For reading-heavy courses we might set up text-to-speech and practice active reading strategies; for essay writing, speech-to-text drafting and visual planning; for ADHD-related challenges with starting and finishing tasks, external structures such as body-doubling, visible timers and short, clearly defined work sprints. We test what helps and drop what does not.
Where you have formal accommodations — such as extra exam time, rest breaks, assistive software or extended deadlines — we help you use them well and plan how to raise gaps with your disability adviser. We work alongside, not instead of, your institution's support.
Who it’s for and the problems it solves
This is for you if you are…
- University students with a diagnosis of dyslexia, dyspraxia (DCD), dyscalculia or ADHD who want practical study strategies
- Students awaiting assessment, or who suspect a learning difference, and need help now
- Secondary-school students (with parent or guardian involvement) preparing for the transition to university study
- Postgraduate researchers whose reading and writing demands have outgrown strategies that worked earlier
- Students recently diagnosed as adults who want to understand what support options exist
Common problems we help with
- Reading takes much longer than for classmates, and you lose track of what you read
- You know what you want to say but getting it onto the page in order is exhausting
- You struggle to start tasks, then hyperfocus on the wrong one close to the deadline
- Spelling, proofreading or copying from slides take disproportionate effort
- You have assistive software from your institution but have never been shown how to use it properly
- You are unsure what accommodations you are entitled to ask for, or how to ask
What’s included — and what isn’t
Included
- An initial conversation about your strengths, challenges, courses and any existing reports or support plans
- Assistive technology set-up and practice: text-to-speech, speech-to-text dictation, mind-mapping, reading rulers and color overlays in software, and spelling or grammar support tools
- Reading strategies: previewing structure, active reading with questions, audio-assisted reading and summarizing in chunks
- Writing strategies: visual planning, dictated first drafts, paragraph frames and layered proofreading
- Executive function support: external planning systems, task breakdown, visible timers, body-doubling sessions and start-up routines
- Revision and exam strategies adapted to your processing style and any exam accommodations
- Organizing notes and files so information is easy to find again
- Help preparing for conversations with disability services, tutors or supervisors about accommodations
- Regular progress reviews and adjustment of strategies
- Session progress notes in accessible formats of your choice (for example audio or bullet summaries)
Not included
- Diagnosis, screening or formal assessment of any learning difference or medical condition
- Medical, psychological or medication advice — please speak to your doctor or clinician
- Completing, rewriting or proofreading assessed work beyond what your institution permits
- Deciding or granting accommodations; that is your institution's process, which we help you navigate
What you receive
- Personal strategy profile
- A concise, readable summary of your strengths, main barriers and the strategies and tools we agreed to try, updated as we learn what works.
- Assistive technology setup notes
- Step-by-step notes, screenshots or short recordings for the tools configured in sessions, so you can repeat the set-up on another device.
- Planning system
- A term or weekly planning system built with you — digital, paper or visual — with task breakdowns for upcoming assignments.
- Accommodation preparation notes
- A summary you can use when meeting disability services or tutors, describing what helps you study and where current support falls short.
- Progress notes
- Brief notes after each session in the format you find easiest, recording what we tried and what to practice next.
How it works
Getting to know you
We talk about your studies, what helps and what does not, and any reports or support plans you choose to share. You decide how much to disclose.
Choose priorities
We identify one or two areas with the biggest impact — often reading load or getting started on assignments — rather than addressing everything at once.
Set up tools and try strategies
In sessions we configure assistive technology on your devices and practice strategies on your current coursework.
Test in real life
You try strategies between sessions. We review honestly what worked, adjust and add the next area.
Coordinate and consolidate
We help you prepare for accommodation reviews and build routines you can maintain independently or with lighter check-ins.
Strategies and assistive tools
- Text-to-speech
- Built-in read-aloud features in operating systems, browsers, PDF readers and word processors, or dedicated tools your institution provides. Listening while following the text can reduce decoding load and aid proofreading.
- Speech-to-text dictation
- Built-in dictation in major operating systems and word processors lets you draft by speaking, separating idea generation from spelling and typing.
- Visual planning and mind maps
- Mind-mapping software or paper maps to organize ideas before converting them into a linear outline for essays.
- External structure for executive function
- Visible timers, checklists, calendar reminders, task breakdown into first physical actions, and body-doubling (working alongside someone, in person or online) to support starting and sustaining tasks.
- Multisensory and active reading
- Previewing headings, reading with a question in mind, pausing to summarize aloud and color-coding key ideas.
- Layered proofreading
- Checking in separate passes — meaning, structure, then spelling — with text-to-speech read-back to catch errors the eye skips.
Strategies, not labels
Learning differences show up differently in each person. Two students with dyslexia may need very different support: one struggles most with reading speed, another with organizing written arguments. Similarly, ADHD can affect starting tasks, estimating time, sustaining attention on low-interest material or managing competing priorities. We work from what you experience, not from a checklist attached to a diagnosis.
We also look for strengths. Many dyslexic and ADHD students are strong verbal reasoners, creative problem-solvers or able to focus intensely on topics that interest them. Good strategies make use of those strengths — for example, talking through an argument before writing it.
Working with disability services and accommodations
Formal accommodations are set by your institution, usually through a disability, accessibility or student support office, and often require documentation. Common examples include extra exam time, rest breaks, a separate exam room, use of a computer or assistive software, and extensions or flexible deadlines. What is available and how to apply varies by country and institution.
We do not decide or request accommodations for you, but we can help you understand the process, describe your needs clearly and use approved accommodations effectively — for example, planning how to use extra exam time rather than simply writing more.
- Contact your institution's disability or accessibility service early in the term
- Ask what documentation is needed and how long approval takes
- Check how accommodations apply to online tests and coursework as well as exams
- Review arrangements each year or when your course demands change
When other support is needed
If anxiety, low mood or other health issues are affecting your studies, please speak to your doctor or your institution's counseling or wellbeing service. Questions about medication or treatment belong with your clinician. We are happy to coordinate practical study support around whatever other help you have.
What the work can look like
Illustrative example — fictional data
Illustrative strategy plan for an essay-based course
A fictional second-year history student with dyslexia and ADHD is behind on reading and has an essay due in three weeks. The plan below is invented to show how strategies are combined.
Reading
Core readings converted to audio with text-to-speech at a comfortable speed while following the text; each reading previewed via headings first; three-question summary recorded as a voice note after each section.
Starting the essay
Two online body-doubling sessions a week of 50 minutes. First task defined as 'open the document and dictate everything I think about the question for ten minutes'.
Drafting and checking
Mind map converted to a paragraph outline; first draft dictated; proofreading done in two passes with read-aloud, then a spelling pass.
Accommodation note
Student prepares a short note for their disability adviser explaining that reading lists arrive late in inaccessible scanned formats, and asks about accessible copies.
Illustrative example only. The student and plan are invented; your strategies will be tailored to you and your course.
What you’ll need to provide
- Your course timetable, upcoming deadlines and exam dates
- Any diagnostic or needs assessment report, if you choose to share it (not required)
- Details of existing accommodations and any software your institution has provided
- The devices you study on, so we can set up tools that work on them
- For students under 18, a parent or guardian contact and consent
You don’t need everything ready to ask for a quote — tell us what you have and we’ll say what’s missing.
What affects price and turnaround
Price depends on
- Number and length of sessions, and whether sessions are regular or concentrated around deadlines
- Whether body-doubling or shorter check-in sessions are included
- Time needed for assistive technology set-up across several devices
- Level of study and complexity of course demands
Turnaround depends on
- Lead time before key deadlines or exams, since strategies take practice to become habits
- Availability of any institution-provided software licenses before set-up sessions
- Your preferred session frequency
Every project is quoted individually. How we price our work.
Questions people ask before starting
Do I need a diagnosis to use this service?
No. Many strategies help regardless of diagnosis. However, formal accommodations from your institution usually require documentation, so if you suspect a learning difference, we can explain how to seek assessment through your institution or a qualified professional.
Can you diagnose dyslexia or ADHD?
No. Diagnosis requires qualified assessors or clinicians. We provide study strategy coaching and can point you to the right services for assessment.
Which assistive technology do you use?
We start with tools you already have, including built-in read-aloud and dictation features in your operating system and word processor, and any software your institution has provided. We avoid recommending purchases unless there is a clear need.
Can you proofread my assignments because of my dyslexia?
Our focus is teaching you proofreading strategies and tool use. Some institutions permit limited proofreading support for disabled students; if yours does and you want that service separately, we follow its rules and your institution's policy.
Is my information kept confidential?
Yes. Anything you share about diagnosis, health or accommodations stays between us and is used only to tailor support. We do not contact your institution without your permission.
Can parents be involved for younger students?
Yes. For students under 18 we agree with the student and parent or guardian how updates will be shared, while keeping sessions focused on building the student's own independence.