Many students know they need help in school but hesitate when it comes time to raise their hand or stay after class. Often, this hesitation comes from a fear of standing out or looking “dumb” in front of classmates. They worry about what their peers will think and even fear that their teacher may judge them as incapable. These insecurities often keep students silent, even when they’re struggling, and can cause them to fall further behind.
Learning to self-advocate is a skill that makes asking for help much less intimidating, and it’s one of the core skills our executive function coaches teach at Educational Connections.
Watch our Executive Function Coach Rachael Moss, MS, M.Ed. explain two strategies she uses to teach kids to ask for help
Giving Students the Words: Conversation Starters That Break the Ice
One of the reasons students don’t ask for help is because they’re unsure how to start the conversation. As our Executive Function Coach Rachael Moss, MS, M.Ed. explains, “So many times, the issue is kids literally don’t know what to say first.”
At Educational Connections, we provide students with conversation prompts—simple starter sentences and questions they can use to ask for help and clarify their understanding. This gives students the words they need to self-advocate and builds their confidence in starting these conversations.
Here are some of the conversation prompts our coaches use to help students get started:
- Starter Sentences:
- “I’m having a hard time with…”
- “I might need some study help…”
- “I want you to know I do better when…”
- Prompting Questions:
- “Do you remember when we learned…?”
- “I need help understanding…”
- “When is the best time we could meet to…?”
Simple sentences like these may seem easy for adults, but they don’t come as naturally for many kids. Practicing these with a coach or trusted adult can make a world of difference for students who feel anxious or embarrassed about speaking up in class.
Reaching Out in Writing: A Simple Email Template to Ask for Help
For students who find speaking up in-person challenging, writing an email to their teacher can be an effective alternative. Our coaches help students craft short, professional-sounding emails that communicate their needs in just a few sentences.
As Moss explains, we offer students an email template that’s “like the most effective Mad Libs ever,” where they can fill in the blanks to ask their teacher for help.
Learning how to properly write a simple email helps students feel in control of their communication and allows them to think carefully about how to express their needs.
After sending an email, students often get a written response from their teacher with suggestions or a time to meet, which can make follow-up and planning easier. And if the response feels intimidating, our coaches can guide students in processing and responding professionally.
Practicing this builds students’ confidence in advocating for themselves, even when in-person conversations might feel overwhelming.
Download your child’s free email template HERE.
Building Essential Life Skills: Learn More About Our Executive Function Coaching Program
Helping your child ask for help and advocate for themselves is just one of the ways our Executive Function Coaching program supports their success. Our EF coaches also help students master essential skills like time management, organization, effective study strategies, and more.
To learn how our one-on-one virtual program can help your child gain these skills and build confidence, schedule a free call with us today!