Students with Specific Learning Difficulties (SLD)
The Learning Skills Centre supports students who have verified specific learning disorders (SLD), or who suspect that they may have difficulty in a particular aspect of learning. Many SLD students do not need major modifications to succeed at university, and the aim of the workshops and consultations is to help students discover different methods of learning which can promote academic success.
The Steps to Success programme offers an initial generic study skills course for students with SLD. The programme is run in liaison with the Disability Resource Service and aims to address some of the challenges specific learning difficulties pose to academic styles and literacy performance. The course offers students compensating strategies, helping them to process language and produce a linear structure of ideas, which is conventional in discursive academic writing.
“I thoroughly enjoyed Steps to Success because it energised my brain. I wanted to share this experience with friends so that they too could pick from the smorgasbord of knowledge offered. This course is a wonderful opportunity to expand thinking and make good use of seeing things from different angles. It demonstrates various learning techniques to suit all.”
| Week 1: What do we know about dyslexia and other SLDs? What do we know about ourselves? (please note this is a two hour session) |
Week 2: Essay planning and structuring |
Week 3: Reading and note-taking from academic texts |
Week 4: Paragraph development |
Tutors: Darina Norwood (Learning Skills Centre) and Steve Russell (Disability Resource Service)
• Fridays, 1.10 to 2.00 pm (9 March–30 March, Learning Skills Centre, 77 Clyde Road)
Please note that the first session runs from 1:10 to 3:00 pm. Even if these workshops are fully booked, it is likely there will be space on the day, so feel free to turn up. If you would like to be notified when the workshops are next scheduled, request them at a different time or day, or just find out more, email Darina.
Learning Pod/Group Tutorials
The informal group sessions are designed so that students have an opportunity to apply the study skills (covered in the formal sessions) to their current writing assignments. These sessions will be student directed but facilitated by Darina and Steve; they aim to address timely and specific academic discourse issues and will follow immediately after the Steps to Success sessions.
• Fridays, 2.10 to 3.00 pm starting 16 March
Individual Consultations
Students are given individual support in consultations to develop practical strategies and self advocacy in ways best suited to their preferred learning styles. Writing support can include checking that the question has been answered, that there is a clear logical argument, and that main ideas have been presented in a clear and effective order. Individual consultations are held at 77 Clyde Road and are offered one per fortnight.
• Phone (03) 3642 314 to book a one to one consultation with Darina Norwood, SLD Learning Advisor.
If you are bringing written work, please print it in a 12-point font with double spacing. Also, please bring the handout with the essay question and any other relevant materials.
Resources
SLD presentation PowerPoint
Steps to Success PowerPoint