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
