Apprenticeship Support
Specialist 1:1 Study Skills Support
Specialist 1:1 Study Skills Support is individual, personalised study skills tuition for students diagnosed with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD), which may include Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Dyscalculia, in addition to other possible disabilities.
What we offer:
The one-to-one sessions that we offer support students with the issues they might have in acquiring, recalling and retaining information in written and spoken language.
We also provide support with a range of memory, organisational, attention and numeracy difficulties that students with specific learning difficulties (SpLD) or an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often face when in further and/or higher education.
How we work:
Using a range of multi-sensory strategies to facilitate independent learning, our highly specialist tutors will deliver individual study skills tuition and support students to identify their own learning styles and strengths. Students will be supported with their literacy in the areas of spelling, punctuation, grammar and accuracy of thought presentation.
Independent learning is promoted as well as empowering the student to manage their workload. Whilst study skills cannot be subject specific, our tutors can work with students using course materials as a framework.
We can help with:
- time management and organisational skills
- efficient strategies for reading academic texts
- note taking from texts, hand-outs and in lectures
- research skills
- mind mapping and planning techniques
- proof reading strategies
- approaching written assignments
- memory techniques and strategies
- revision methods
- analysing exam/essay questions.
Wellbeing and Mental Health
Specialist mentors provide highly specialist, specifically tailored, one-to-one support which helps students address the barriers to learning created by a particular impairment. This support is primarily provided for students with mental-health conditions or autism spectrum disorders. The support could address a range of issues, for example;
- coping with anxiety and stressful situations
- how to deal with concentration difficulties
- time management
- goal setting
- timetabling
- prioritising workload
- creating a suitable work-life balance.
Specialist mentoring is not counselling. The role of the mentor is to help students recognise the barriers to learning created by their impairment and support them in developing strategies to address these barriers, particularly at times of transition, e.g. when starting at college/university or work placement. For some students, this support will need to be on-going, while for others it might be gradually phased out or only be required at certain points of their course.
Mentors can work with students with a range of mental health difficulties, including:
- depression
- anxiety
- eating disorders
- bipolar disorder
- psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia
- obsessive compulsive disorder etc.
Students with chronic fatigue syndrome/M.E. or chronic health conditions which affect their studies can also benefit from mentoring.
Furthermore, the mentors can work with some students with attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder and severe dyspraxia if they are particularly struggling with organisation and staying focused on their work.
Mentoring aims to provide support which facilitates competence in self-management of a mental health difficulty or other chronic condition. Mentors can help students to develop and maintain more realistic study patterns, enhancing their ability to overcome barriers to success, and thereby providing them with a more equal chance of achieving academic and personal goals. Mentors can also help students come to terms with their diagnosis and any medication they have been prescribed in relation to the impact it may have on their studies.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
ADHD is characterised by a predominance of either inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms, or a combination of both. The condition involves challenges in managing attention, with considerable variability in how individuals focus on tasks based on their relevance. ADHD individuals often seek sensory stimulation and may have a strong need for movement, which can aid in concentration, anxiety regulation, or serve as a form of release. Organisational tasks can be particularly challenging, and there may be difficulties in retaining information in working memory. Written instructions or note-taking can be beneficial. Support in breaking down tasks and managing organisation is often needed.
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Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity acknowledges the natural variations in human brain function and behavioural traits as integral to human diversity, viewing conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and dyscalculia not as disorders but as different aspects of neurocognitive functioning. It advocates for societal shifts towards greater acceptance, rights, and accommodations for those with neurological differences, emphasizing inclusion and support. The concept of a "spiky profile" integrates with this view, illustrating how individuals may exhibit significant strengths in certain areas while facing challenges in others, further highlighting the diverse spectrum of human abilities and the need for tailored support.
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Dyspraxia
Dyspraxia affects both fine and gross motor skills, significantly impacting writing, typing, and self-care activities. Dyspraxic individuals may also face challenges with memory, attention, perception, and processing, leading to difficulties in planning, organisation, executing actions, or following instructions in the correct order.
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Dyscalculia
Individuals with dyscalculia struggle with mastering arithmetic skills, calculations, number sense, and mathematical reasoning. Challenges often extend to understanding quantities, time, and abstract numerical concepts. Dyscalculia is frequently accompanied by working memory difficulties. Approximately 50% of individuals with dyscalculia also face reading challenges, and many experience significant maths anxiety.
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Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that affects the ability to develop automatic and fluent word reading and spelling skills. It is often associated with challenges in phonological awareness, which involves understanding and manipulating the sounds in words, and may also impact orthographic processing—the recognition of whole words, letter strings, or spelling patterns. Dyslexic individuals might be self-conscious about reading aloud, which can also hinder comprehension, and may avoid using complex vocabulary in writing to prevent spelling errors. Though not officially part of the diagnostic criteria, dyslexic individuals often struggle with organisation, sequencing, and may have low academic self-esteem. A notable discrepancy exists between their confidence in verbal tasks versus written tasks.
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Autism
According to current diagnostic criteria, autistic individuals face challenges primarily in social communication and exhibit restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour. The severity of these challenges can vary significantly. Many autistic individuals have sensory sensitivities that are particularly challenging in new and unfamiliar environments. Furthermore, they often prefer structured and predictable settings, benefiting from ample time to process information and adapt to changes. Social anxiety can pose a significant challenge in unstructured and unpredictable social situations. While the challenges of autism might be less visible in certain settings, they can still have a profound, cumulative effect on mental health, well-being, and may lead to burnout.
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