ChatGPT prompts every ESW needs to know

• "Write a brief, professional incident note for a school setting. A student (Year 4, ADHD) became dysregulated during a transition from lunch to class. The student left the room for five minutes and returned calm after time in the quiet corner. No physical intervention. Write in factual, non-judgmental language."
• "Draft three SMART goals for a student with autism who is working on initiating social interactions with peers. Goals should be specific to school settings and measurable over a term."
• "Help me write the 'current level of performance' section of an IEP for a student who is working below year level in reading, has strong verbal skills, and benefits from visual supports and routine."
• "I need to write a handover note for a relief ESW covering a student with a behaviour support plan. What sections should I include, and can you draft a template?"

• "Explain what 'sensory processing differences' means in practical terms for someone supporting a child in a classroom. What might I see, and what supports tend to help?"
• "A student on my caseload has an OT report that mentions 'proprioceptive seeking behaviours'. What does this mean in day-to-day school terms, and what are some simple strategies I could try?"
• "I am supporting a student with selective mutism. What should I know about how to interact with them in ways that build trust rather than increase anxiety?"
• "What is the difference between a meltdown and a shutdown in an autistic student? How do I recognise which one is happening, and how should I respond differently to each?"

• "Help me write a message to a parent explaining that their child had a difficult day without being alarming, blaming, or vague. The student had a meltdown during maths and needed time out of the room to regulate. They ended the day positively."
• "A parent has sent a message that is frustrated and includes some inaccurate information about what happened in class. Help me draft a calm, professional, and factual reply that acknowledges their concern without being defensive."
• "I want to share something positive about a student with their parent, but I want to be specific and genuine rather than generic. The student helped a peer today and showed real empathy. Help me write a brief positive note."

• "I am new to supporting students with pathological demand avoidance (PDA). Can you give me a plain-language explanation of what PDA is and how it differs from other presentations of autism?"
• "What are some evidence-informed strategies for supporting a student who has significant anxiety around assessment and testing tasks? I want practical approaches I can use in a mainstream classroom."
• "Explain the 'zones of regulation' framework in simple terms, including how I might use it in my day-to-day work as an ESW."

“The more specific you are about the student's situation, the tone you need, and the audience you are writing for, the more useful the output will be.”