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Speaking as one who is well qualified in the field of education and SpLD I am getting a bit disgruntled at being constantly referred to by most assessors as a Study Skills Tutor. Study Skills Tutors are non-specialists who deal with students who have no specific difficulty. We are experts at mentoring students on the autistic spectrum, therefore it is courtesy to call us Dyslexia Tutors or Specialist Study Tutors. Malcolm Brown Dyslexia Tutor ________________________________ From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff. on behalf of Amanda Kent Sent: Sat 01/11/2008 13:50 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: 10 hour rule for dyslexic support f th Something like this? : Non-subject specific study skills support Suggested topics for inclusion in study skills support sessions: (List as appropriate to student, as evidenced in Sections A and B. This is where the assessor has opportunity to identify the reasons for more than 10 initially). Recommended level of support: (INSERT HOURS RECOMMENDED). Notes about this support: This support is in addition to any study skills advice available to all students on the course. STUDENT is advised to contact (INSERT RELEVANT CONTACT FROM p 2 of NAR). Alternatively, this support can be arranged through (INSERT THE CHOICE-FACTOR). The support should be provided on a one-to-one basis. STUDENT will be asked to sign a time-sheet to confirm support has been provided. The support should include the production of an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) compiled by the study skills tutor in consultation with STUDENT. The ILP should include a report on the study skills undertaken, including timetables, goals achieved and any remaining need beyond. Either: The DSA funding body (INSERT NAME) may request a copy of the ILP as evidence of continuing need for support beyond (INSERT HOURS RECOMMENDED). Or: The Student Loans Company (SLC) will require a copy of the ILP as evidence of continuing need for support beyond an initial 10 sessions. On Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:44:44 -0000, John Conway <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >PRECISELY MY POINT - Assessors are writing this into their reports! > >PLEASE find some wording that does not stop the students from coming >forward to us! Several people spoke up about this at the SW Forum >meeting in Bournemouth. > >Of course, it would help if we all had a clearer idea of who can >recommend more - and on what grounds. We read variously that it is the >Assessor or the Tutor - that it has to be countersigned by the >Disability Officer or the Assessor. WHO??? I would ask why it has to go >back to the assessor if the assessor can't recommend it in the first >place. > >Still - why should I worry - less work for us if students are frightened >off. Maybe I've seen the real plot? > >John > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff. >[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Bryan Jones >Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 9:24 AM >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: 10 hour rule for dyslexic support > >Not explicitly stated but perhaps not that hidden away in my previous >response was, why is anyone telling students they only have 10 sessions? >And making them fret that this is all that they will get. We as know >anxiety, when confronted by the prospect of undertaking a written >assignment, is a significant issue for those with SpLd, why add to that? >Needs assessment reports have always contained a number (that was in the >last email). I assume you haven't just been recommending specialist >study skills sessions for each week of the academic year and for the >full duration of the course for all the students you have been >assessing. Or when / if you have been recommending a specific figure or >time period informing the student that this may well be their lot, so >use it wisely. unless of course the Study Skills Tutor can make a case >for more. And I believe SLC have also stated that more than 10 >sessions can be recommended if a sound case can be made by the DSA >Assessor. > >Bryan Jones, >Manager, Disability Support Services >& North London Regional Access Centre, >Middlesex University >Tel: 020 8411 5366 > >-----Original Message----- >From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff. >[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Amanda Kent >Sent: 31 October 2008 08:53 >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: 10 hour rule for dyslexic support > >Bryan, >I understood John Conway's point to be that students were interpreting >the >phrasing of NARs which describe the SLC-10 as meaning that there was a >numerical limit on the number of sessions. The NAR is a means of >communicating assessment of need outcomes to the student through >writing, >a method of communication that some of them may find problematic for >disability-related reasons. With one main administrative body on the >horizon >there is opportunity to create some sort of standard wording or baseline > >explanation in Plain English. Presumably this would be an issue to go to >SLC as >some form of feedback but in the meantime, there's a risk that students >aka >customers will be adversely affected. > >To evidence need is a sound approach to practice and audit; if the SLC >want >to place a checkpoint in at 10 that's up to them. It has the advantage >of >providing a sense of equal treatment (whereas the current situation is, >as you >describe- centres and LAs having different methods of quantification). > >However, whether 10 sessions (or less) is an appropriate estimate for >most >students seems to me to be irrelevant within the wider context of an >individual >needs assessment. Some students will require more (such is the effect of > >individual difference on the formation of need). If one 'beyond 10 >student' >gets the impression that they are limited to 10 and modifies their >behaviour >accordingly, then that is one too many students adversely affected by >the >wording of reports fashioned by admin change. > > > Amanda