Thanks to our valued colleague Bea Moise for this guest post!
The transition to college is often less like a step than a chasm. In college, students are expected to manage complex schedules, extensive readings, social navigation, and high-stakes evaluations, often without explicit instruction on how to do so. For students who are neurodivergent, including those with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, or dyscalculia, the resulting feelings of unpreparedness can be overwhelming. Fortunately, coaching can help build vital skills.
Coaching is not:
- A substitute for content instruction/tutoring
- A form of discipline
- A replacement for disability accommodations
- A way to “fix” neurodivergent students
Coaching is:
- A collaborative, strengths-based partnership
- A place to learn executive function skills (e.g., organization, time management)
- A bridge between institutional expectations and individual learning styles
- A practice ground for self-advocacy and autonomy
How coaching helps
The objective of coaching is not improving academic performance at all costs; it is sustainable access to learning. In higher education, executive functioning (EF) is often treated as a prerequisite rather than a learnable skill set. Tasks involving EF include:
- Planning a schedule over the course of a term
- Managing overlapping assignment deadlines
- Initiating long-term projects
- Navigating unstructured time
- Recovering from academic setbacks
The Role of AI in Neurodivergent Academic Coaching
AI tools can be powerful in academic coaching when used intentionally. Students may use AI to:
- Rephrase complex assignment prompts into more understandable language
- Generate outlines to reduce initiation friction
- Summarize readings after attempting them
- Ask for multiple explanations of the same concept
- Create practice questions for exam prep
For neurodivergent students, this can reduce mental load enough to access learning rather than avoid it.
In coaching, AI can provide:
- A scaffold or structure for learning
- A language processing aid
- An executive function support
AI should not be used as:
- A substitute for learning
- A shortcut to bypass reasoning or analyzing
- A way to avoid skill development
Limits of AI
Another important role of coaches is helping students learn and understand the ethical and critical uses of AI, including a focus on:
- Academic integrity
- How to evaluate AI accuracy
- How to maintain ownership of ideas
Students need to learn to:
- Treat AI output as a draft or starting point
- Cross-check information
- Customize language to reflect their voice
- Cite tools appropriately
Coaching as a Path to Independence
Neurodivergent academic coaching is designed to be time-limited. The goal is not reliance on the coach–it is self-confidence and self-efficacy.
Coaches should continually evaluate:
- What strategies can the student now use independently?
- Which supports can be faded?
- Where does the student still need scaffolding?
Students leave coaching with:
- A personalized toolkit
- Better awareness of how their brain works
- Language for self-advocacy
- Confidence in their ability to adapt to new challenges
When done right, academic coaching can move students from floundering to flourishing!