my wife provides our dysleixc support and take the view that whatever the student NEEDS is what she supplies [within reason!]
I advertise our support services deliberately as student driven, not a set of pre-prepared lectures or classes. The students really appreciate that
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Margarida Dolan
Sent: 02 December 2005 10:25
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Dyslexia support and proof-reading
Dear Peter,
>I wonder if those who are 'anti-proofreading' feel the same
>way about providing proof-reading support for e.g. a Deaf student whose
>first language is BSL, or a Visually Impaired student (whether a Jaws Dear
>user or not)...
To add to to this, I ask dyslexic students the same question you are raising to
colleagues on this list. Despite so many efforts, institutional and individual
oppressing factors persist that contribute to making dyslexic students feel
guilty/ashamed and disempowered for the support received. And it is amazing to
observe the shift in the understanding of these students about their rights.
So I feel somehow perplexed that this has to be debated in a forum where I
would expect those oppressiong factors not to be an issue.
>The literacy difficulties associated with it are not something that can be put
>right in 3 years at Uni.
And this is why all students should be well informed about Access to Work.
>I agree, too, that proof-reading is rarely the best use of a support tutor's
>time in a one-to-one situation.
I believe it is not up to us to determine what the best use of our time is.
Each individual student has particular needs and that is what we need to
respect. If proof-reading is what my students feel they need and is asource of
great stress that impacts on the learning of other skills and on their academic
progress, it is not up to me to judge if my time should be used doing something
else.
I hope this informs the debate.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Margarida Dolan PhD Phone: 0044(0)1225 383241
Learning Support Tutor and Staff Developer Fax: 0044(0)1225 386709
Learning Support Service
University of Bath
Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
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Quoting Peter Hill <[log in to unmask]>:
> Hi
>
> I'm broadly with Lloyd on this one (tho' it's worth flagging that
> students can set up support themselves and are not obliged to use Uni
> facilities - another thread perhaps?)
>
> This is an issue that pops up periodically - with a similar set of
> responses. I wonder if those who are 'anti-proofreading' feel the same
> way about providing proof-reading support for e.g. a Deaf student whose
> first language is BSL, or a Visually Impaired student (whether a Jaws
> user or not) who struggles to generate perfect text. Dyslexia is a
> disability, it can be severe, and it is always intractable to some
> extent. The literacy difficulties associated with it are not something
> that can be put right in 3 years at Uni.
>
> What about the dyslexic student who is a virtual non-reader (there are
> some in HE) but who prefers to produce his/her own assignment materials,
> perhaps using dictation software.
>
> I'm certainly not saying that dyslexic writing should be proof-read
> without consideration for the individual difficulty. And I do believe
> that students should be encouraged to develop strategies to help them
> become more autonomous as learners. I agree, too, that proof-reading is
> rarely the best use of a support tutor's time in a one-to-one situation.
>
> Nevertheless, the fact that this issue does run and run repeatedly
> suggests that there are those (they would deny it of course) who feel
> deep down that students with dyslexia are just not trying hard enough.
>
> Lloyd states " It seems to me that talking and thinking in terms of
> absolutes (e.g., proof reading is wrong for all dyslexic students in all
> circumstances) misses the point."
>
> Indeed - such 'absolutes' miss the disability.
>
> Regards
>
> Peter
>
>
> Lloyd G. Richardson wrote:
>
> > I think this shows how widely practice varies between HEIs.
> >
> >
> >
> > I also suspect that the nature and extent of the help given to many
> > dyslexics does not reflect their disability-related support needs, so
> > much as the resources which individual institutions choose to make
> > available. Some universities offer dyslexics regular one-to-one
> > support from specialist tutors while others do not, even when this has
> > been specifically recommended by an Access Centre.
> >
> >
> >
> > I have been supporting a dyslexic PGCE student who attended a Midlands
> > university. Its policy documentation on Equality of Opportunity and
> > Disability is exemplary but the student's experience has not been.
> > She was told that because she was mildly dyslexic and the support unit
> > was overwhelmed, she could not have one-to-one tuition, even though it
> > had been specifically recommended.
> >
> >
> >
> > This has nothing to do with proof-reading of course but it has a lot
> > to do with what is 'right' and 'not right' when it comes to responding
> > to dyslexic students' support needs. If we adopt a student-centred
> > (rather than resource-led) approach to support then there may be
> > occasions when proof-reading is justified. It seems to me that
> > talking and thinking in terms of absolutes (e.g., proof reading is
> > wrong for all dyslexic students in all circumstances) misses the point.
> >
> >
> >
> > Lloyd Richardson
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
> > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Emma Wright
> > Sent: 01 December 2005 19:08
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: Dyslexia support and proof-reading
> >
> >
> >
> > I would also like to add that when I submitted my MA dissertation it
> > was a submission requirement that some one else proof read it (for all
> > students, not just those with dyslexia etc) before it was submitted
> > and they were even asked to sign a form to say they had!
> >
> > On 01/12/05, Liz Thompson <[log in to unmask]
> > <mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote:
> >
> > We've recently looked at this issue in order to give guidance to our
> > learning support tutors. Surely the distinction is between doing something
> > for the student (not allowed ) and helping them to do it for
> > themselves (the
> > basis of giving support) ?
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > Liz
> >
> >
> > Liz Thompson
> > Learning Support Officer
> >
> > Student Services
> > University of Brighton
> > Room 2, Manor House
> > Moulsecoomb Place
> > Brighton BN2 4GA
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
> > [mailto:[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>] On
> > Behalf Of Lloyd G. Richardson
> > Sent: 01 December 2005 12:43
> > To: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> > Subject: Re: Dyslexia support and proof-reading
> >
> > Ros,
> >
> > You are exactly right when you say that most of us ask others to check
> > over
> > stuff we have written from time to time.
> >
> > I have never regarded this as wrong. (I got my wife to proof correct parts
> > of my MA thesis, and I have done similar for colleagues.) But for some HE
> > lecturers this is a real hot potato.
> >
> > You are also right (and brave) to raise the issue of what a support tutor
> > should do in extremis. Last summer a dyslexic student asked me for some
> > 'help' with her dissertation. It was the only piece of work she had
> > failed
> > and she had to re-submit it within three weeks (she was leaving the
> > country
> > at the end of the month).
> >
> > There was no time for a skills development approach and I was very
> > open with
> > the course tutor and the student in terms of the sort of 'help' I
> > intended
> > to provide. In this instance common sense prevailed.
> >
> > Regards, Lloyd Richardson
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
> > [mailto: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>]
> > On Behalf Of Ros Stevenson
> > Sent: 01 December 2005 12:01
> > To: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> > Subject: Dyslexia support and proof-reading
> >
> > Hello
> >
> > Thank you to everyone who responded to my request for a support tutor in
> >
> > Sheffield.
> >
> > All the comments regarding proof-reading have been very interesting to
> > read.
> > I completely agree that in an ideal world proof-reading should not form a
> > regular part of study skills support - unless it is done with
> >
> > the student's involvement - and I think it's important that students
> > realise this. However, if life gets in the way and a study skills
> > session cannot be arranged to fit in with deadlines, it seems to me not
> > unreasonable for a tutor to agree to check over the work in this way on
> > occasion - and presumably to use the experience constructively in further
> > one-to-one sessions.
> >
> > Whether proof-reading is done by a person or a computer - or both - is I
> >
> > think a separate issue. Don't most of us, dyslexic or not, from time
> > to time ask someone else to check over what we have written - even if we
> >
> > have already run it through spell and grammar checks?
> >
> > (I have just asked one of my colleagues to have a look at this before
> > sending!)
> >
> > Ros
> >
> > --
> > Ros Stevenson (Mrs)
> > Adviser for Dyslexic/SpLD Students
> > Oxford Brookes University
> > Student Services
> > Helena Kennedy Student Centre
> > Headington Hill Campus
> > Oxford OX3 0BP
> > Tel: 01865 484693
> > Fax: 01865 484656
> > www.brookes.ac.uk/student/services/dyslexia/
> > <http://www.brookes.ac.uk/student/services/dyslexia/>
> >
> > ****
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> >
> >
> > --
> > Emma Jane Wright
> > School of Sociology and Social Policy
> > University of Nottingham
> >
> > [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> >
> > www.accessingmaterials.org.uk <http://www.accessingmaterials.org.uk>
> >
> > ****
> >
> > Bishop Grosseteste College values people and promotes equal opportunity.
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> > The information contained in this E-mail is confidential and may be
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>
> --
> Peter Hill
>
> Tel: 01905 391547
> Mobile: 07751 792711
>
>
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