Embedded Files
Deciding what needs to be done and in what order
Strengths-Based Lens
Students who struggle with planning are often big-picture thinkers with creative, divergent ideas. They see many possibilities, which is why narrowing down feels hard. This breadth of thinking is a genuine asset in creative and innovative contexts.
What It Can Look Like
Starting with the fun/easy parts of a project and leaving the hardest till last
Not knowing where to begin a research assignment
Spending too long on one section and running out of time
Struggling to break a large assessment into manageable steps
Difficulty deciding what's most important in revision
Student Voice
"I have so much to do I don't know what to do first."
"I spent 3 hours on the title page and now the essay is due tomorrow."
"Everything feels equally important and equally impossible."
Teaching Strategies (Tier 1 — Whole Class)
Universal strategies that benefit all learners.
Co-create project timelines as a class activity
Teach the 'big rocks first' prioritisation method
Provide planning templates for all major assessments
Model your own planning process out loud
Use backward planning: start from the due date and work backwards
Targeted Supports (Tier 2 — Individual/Small Group)
For students who need additional, more personalised support.
Meet weekly with the student to check their plan and adjust
Provide pre-made step-by-step checklists for complex tasks
Use colour-coding: red (urgent), amber (soon), green (later)
Help them physically order tasks using sticky notes
Provide a planning buddy who checks in at key milestones
Assessment Impact
May produce unbalanced work (great intro, no conclusion)
Could miss multiple deadlines because they can't prioritise across subjects
Might over-research and under-write
Could struggle with exam time allocation across questions
Quick Wins — Try This Tomorrow
For every assessment, give students a 1-page planning template with checkpoints
At the start of each week, help students identify their 'top 3' priorities
Model planning an essay structure in under 5 minutes, live
Page updated
Report abuse