Therapy Things Durbanville

15/08/2026

Executive functions are the brain’s ‘management systems’.
They help us:
* Plan and organise
* Start tasks (initiation)
* Remember instructions (working memory)
* Manage time
* Shift between tasks (cognitive flexibility)
* Monitor and correct mistakes
* Control attention and distractions
* Regulate emotions
* Prioritise what needs to happen first
The extra cognitive effort required for reading, writing, spelling and processing language can place significant demands on executive-function systems, especially working memory.
For a dyslexic student, difficulties can become particularly noticeable when these skills are being used at the same time as demanding literacy tasks.
A dyslexic student may use considerably more mental effort just to decode and comprehend text, which means there is less working memory and attentional capacity available for planning, organising and producing the answer.
This infographic from Smarty Pencils gives some tips to help dyslexic students that may struggle with working memory issues.

15/08/2026

A messy room isn’t laziness—it can be ADHD overwhelm in action. 💜
Start tiny, reduce the decisions, and focus on progress—not perfection.
Save this for the next time your brain says, “I don’t know where to start.” ✨

15/08/2026

Please read…👇💫

As we’re heading into exam season we need to normalise these things during exams for our dyslexic children. These things should be available to every single child taking an exam and we shouldn’t have to fight for these things as parents.

During exams let’s normalise:

✏️ Having a scribe.
📖 Having a reader.
☘️ Giving them a choice of when & where they happen.
📱 Dictating their answers.
🎧 Using alternative reading & writing methods.
⏰ Giving them extra time.
📝 No marks taken away for spelling.
🌿 Rest breaks.
📑 Modified & adapted exam papers.

What do you think? Would you add anything else to the list? Let me know in the comments.👇

Please ♥️ and share.

13/08/2026

09/07/2026