Clare
Good to hear your voice on this issue, or should I say old chestnut?
It has always seemed to me that using proof-reading (or
proof-correction) as a learning tool is not only jutifiable, but
essential.
Thus, if you show a dyslexic student how to reference correctly by
correcting one or two examples of their own work, are you 'doing the
work for them' or showing them how to do it? My view is that, once you
have provided a few models of good practice you can refer the student
back to these on future assignments, so that they take increasing
responsibility for what they are doing.
If learning is 'changing behaviour by experience' (and it has been
defined in this way) then such an approach to dyslexia support is a
part of the teaching process, rather than evidence of plagiarism or
collusion.
I rest my case.
Lloyd
On Fri, 6 Dec 2002 09:13:39 +0000 Clare Davies
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> If it is just simple proof-reading, couldn't they use TextHelp Read & Write
> or similar technology? If they need more than this, they really need
> specialist learning support. I expect some postgraduates could do this but
> they would need clear guidelines. We advise support tutors to use
> proofreading as a learning tool, not to do the work for the student but to
> help students clarify their ideas and develop skills to expressing these
> ideas.
>
> We are developing guidelines for dyslexia support tutors to help with
> quality assurance and accountability of the service, which uses a number of
> sessional tutors. Does anyone else have such guidelines for dyslexia tutors
> that they would be willing to share with us?
>
> Clare Davies
> Student Services
> University College Northampton
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Peter Hill
> Sent: 05 December 2002 23:14
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Proof reading for students with dyslexia
>
>
> Hi
>
> Are we not talking about two separate activities here, ie
> a)proof-reading and b)literacy skills development. Of course it's best
> if the student can be taught how to proofread effectively without
> support. Nevertheless, for some students this is simply not possible.
>
> In practice, support tutors tend to spend a lot of time working
> reactively - and finding time to work proactively, according to a
> study-skills development plan can be difficult - especially if the
> student is constantly attempting to 'catch up'.
>
> I feel that skilled learning support tutors have the ability to work
> developmental strategies 'into' the proofreading process (working
> through the material, asking questions, providing examples of
> alternative constructions etc - and I'm confident that it's possible to
> do this without re-writing the student's material).
>
> I'm not sure if Margaret is advocating a coding approach ('using the
> agreed symbols') or not. I have never done this and suspect strongly
> that many of the students I support would depart never to return if I did.
>
> I do agree with Margaret and Sheila in that Support Tutors are the best
> people to carry out these activities - though there may be occasions
> where 'dedicated' proof-reader support is appropriate.
>
> Regards
>
> Peter Hill
>
> Margaret Herrington wrote:
>
> > I have discussed this issue often with colleagues and come to the
> > same conclusion as Sheila. At the heart of the matter are
> > different views about what the term proof reading means. Sometimes
> > students ask support tutors ' can you just proofread it...check it
> > over for me', but they are not really seeking proofreading in the
> > traditional sense [which can be done reasonably quickly using the
> > agreed symbols for the purpose].They may want a quick fix solution
> > but as soon as a tutor starts 'correcting text' outside a modelling
> > or'learning by doing' context, the question of authorship emerges.
> I think it is better to train dyslexia/learning support tutors for this
> task...and pay at the usual rates.
> > Margaret
> >
> >
> >>>>[log in to unmask] 12/04/02 14:18 PM >>>
> >>>>
> > In my experience, it's not possible (nor appropriate) to do
> straightforward proof-reading (that is, checking and correcting) for
> students with dyslexia whose difficulties lie in expressing their
> knowledge and understanding accurately and concisely in writing.
> >
> > In most cases, the difficulties are rather more complex than can
> simply corrected by a proofreader, and often require several hours of
> talking, questioning, exploring, trying out different formulations,
> explaining the impact of different constructions, teaching grammar,
> punctuation, style etc etc. The student's learning preferences also
> need to be explored as they impact on the process of writing. It is
> vital to avoid writing for and on behalf of the student, and also
> important that the final product remains the student's own work. This
> is very much a learning-through-doing process and many elements need to
> be done several times over for the student to be able to learn them. I
> don't think that such students will learn to develop and improve their
> writing from someone else correcting their work and then getting
> feedback on it - which is what most academic tutors do and which is, in
> my experience, not helpful at all.
> >
> > I feel strongly that this is part of what a dyslexia support tutor's
> role is, and it requires appropriate training and experience.
> >
> > Sheila
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >>>>[log in to unmask] 12/04/02 12:59pm >>>
> >>>>
> > Hi everyone
> >
> > I would like to find out what other HEIs are doing regarding the
> above. We
> > are thinking of utilising postgrad level support workers to proof read
> > dyslexic student's work. Before we decide if we are definitely going to
> > push forward we have several issues we need to resolve. These are:
> (1) do
> > other HEIs feel that a minimum of postgrad qualification is
> appropriate to
> > carry out this role (2) what hourly rate is appropriate and (3) the
> kind of
> > feedback the proof reader would need to give the student, i.e. one-to-one
> > or via written notes. Obviously there are time implications with
> feedback
> > and the resultant payment to the proof reader.
> >
> > I would be really grateful if you could share your Institutional
> practice.
> >
> > Carol
> >
> > Carol Doyle
> > Accessible Curriculum Development Advisor
> > Disability Department UWIC
> > Western Avenue Cardiff CF15 2YB
> > Tel: 02920 416170
> > Email: [log in to unmask]
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> 01527 500324
> [log in to unmask]
> www.study-pro.com
>
> Dyslexia Consultancy and Resources
>
> > > I think it is better to train dyslexia/learning support tutors
> > for this task...and pay at the usual rates. Margaret
> >
> >
> >>>> [log in to unmask] 12/04/02 14:18 PM >>>
> >>>>
> > In my experience, it's not possible (nor appropriate) to do
> > straightforward proof-reading (that is, checking and correcting)
> > for students with dyslexia whose difficulties lie in expressing
> > their knowledge and understanding accurately and concisely in
> > writing.
> >
> > In most cases, the difficulties are rather more complex than can
> > simply corrected by a proofreader, and often require several hours
> > of talking, questioning, exploring, trying out different
> > formulations, explaining the impact of different constructions,
> > teaching grammar, punctuation, style etc etc. The student's
> > learning preferences also need to be explored as they impact on the
> > process of writing. It is vital to avoid writing for and on behalf
> > of the student, and also important that the final product remains
> > the student's own work. This is very much a learning-through-doing
> > process and many elements need to be done several times over for
> > the student to be able to learn them. I don't think that such
> > students will learn to develop and improve their writing from
> > someone else correcting their work and then getting feedback on it
> > - which is what most academic tutors do and which is, in my
> > experience, not helpful at all.
> >
> > I feel strongly that this is part of what a dyslexia support tutor's
> > role is, and it requires appropriate training and experience.
> >
> > Sheila
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >>>> [log in to unmask] 12/04/02 12:59pm >>>
> >>>>
> > Hi everyone
> >
> > I would like to find out what other HEIs are doing regarding the
> > above. We are thinking of utilising postgrad level support workers
> > to proof read dyslexic student's work. Before we decide if we are
> > definitely going to push forward we have several issues we need to
> > resolve. These are: (1) do other HEIs feel that a minimum of
> > postgrad qualification is appropriate to carry out this role (2)
> > what hourly rate is appropriate and (3) the kind of feedback the
> > proof reader would need to give the student, i.e. one-to-one or via
> > written notes. Obviously there are time implications with feedback
> and the resultant payment to the proof reader.
> >
> > I would be really grateful if you could share your Institutional
> practice.
> >
> > Carol
> >
> > Carol Doyle
> > Accessible Curriculum Development Advisor
> > Disability Department UWIC
> > Western Avenue Cardiff CF15 2YB
> > Tel: 02920 416170
> > Email: [log in to unmask]
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> 01527 500324
> [log in to unmask]
> www.study-pro.com
>
> Dyslexia Consultancy and Resources
>
> > > and the resultant payment to the proof reader.
> >
> > I would be really grateful if you could share your Institutional
> > practice.
> >
> > Carol
> >
> > Carol Doyle Accessible Curriculum Development Advisor Disability
> > Department UWIC Western Avenue Cardiff CF15 2YB Tel: 02920 416170
> Email: [log in to unmask]
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> 01527 500324
> [log in to unmask]
> www.study-pro.com
>
> Dyslexia Consultancy and Resources
>
> > > Email: [log in to unmask]
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> 01527 500324
> [log in to unmask]
> www.study-pro.com
>
> Dyslexia Consultancy and Resources
----------------------
Dr.Lloyd Richardson
Disability Adviser, Learning Support
[log in to unmask]
Student Support Services
Anglia Polytechnic University
East Road
Cambridge
CB1 1PT
01223 363271 ex 2434
|