What happens in a support session?

Diverse Learners provides high quality study skills and stratefy support and also work skills support for people at university on healthcare courses or in the workplace in health and social care settings.

We can provide specialised support to help you find the way you learn best and give you confidence, whilst teaching strategies help you to meet performance or assignment criteria.

We believe in making the learning experience as positive as possible. During the sessions we encourage you to question and challenge what you are being told, try new techniques and give you lots of encouragement.

We will also go over the strategies and techniques as many times as you want. We also believe that no question is a silly question so you can feel safe in asking us anything you are worried about or unsure of.

 

Support from Diverse Learners covers:

  • Identifying learning style – so you understand how to learn in the way best for you
  • Revision strategies – trying lots of different ways to help you remember the information
  • Exam techniques – Exploring the best way to answer questions by having a long term strategy for making exams less stressful
  • Time-management – meeting deadlines and using study time wisely
  • Building confidence – Giving support, praise, and reassurance so you feel more in control
  • Using Technology – Encouraging of PC settings, assistive technology (mind mapping, speech-to-text and text-to-speech software) apps and smartphones and devices to keep you organised, manage your time and complete work.
  • Identification – supporting you through the acceptance of the identification of dyslexia, dyspraxia and share personal experiences.

It is important to note that this is not subject specific tuition. If you are a student we cannot teach you the details of the subject but can give you techniques and strategies that provide the skills . If you are a student or employee the skills you learn with Diverse Learners are transferable to all areas of your life.  Management of your work-life balance and confidence should improve and gets noticed – we are  often thanked by clients’ family members.

What happens in sessions

The first meeting lasts longer than the usual 1 hour. It is expected that both the young person and their carer will be present though the carer need only be there for part of the session. This first meeting covers introductions, days and times of support, past support and identification, aspirations and a chat about the areas you or others are most concerned about. An orientation of Skype and how it is used in sessions can also be covered if needed.

In the first sessions an individual learning plan (ILP) will be created to give us an overview on the areas you wish to work on. These are then prioritised by what feels most important to you but can be influenced by the demands of the university course or workplace.

The team at Diverse Learners encourage you to tell us what you want to learn to do better. Strategies and techniques will be introduced and link to the way you like to learn with activities designed to make you more independent. This is not a quick-fix but long term solutions e strategies will need to be trialed over

After each session a student record sheet is complied that recaps what has been covered in the session. This acts as a memory aid and a “to-do” list so you don’t have to worry about remembering anything in the sessions.

During future sessions any strategies introduced can be trialed, tweaked and monitored. Strategies may change over time as you personalise them and the aim is always to build confidence in yourself and your capabilities.

To make an appointment, discuss your needs, or enquire about our support rates please contact admin@Diverse-Learners.co.uk

Before the sessions it would be very helpful if you could

  • Send us the dyslexia / dyspraxia report
  • Gather any feedback from assignments, work colleagues, appraisals
  • Have access to the assignment or exams timetable – if appropriate – to help with revision planning and time management
  • Have access to any relevant learning outcomes and grading or performance criteria from workplace policy guidelines or module handbooks .i.e. to help us identify how you can be as effective as possible
  • Think about and/or discuss openly and honestly areas you have difficulty with but also what is working well. Try to work out how and when you work best – what is it you are doing.

Send documents, feedback, thoughts, audio mind maps, module handbooks etc to admin@Diverse-Learners.co.uk

I’ve just been identified as having dyslexia / dyspraxia

The team at Diverse Learners are well placed to support people who may need support in accepting an identification of a Specific Learning Difference/ Difficulty (SpLD) such as, dyslexia or dyspraxia. All of the team are either dyslexic or dyspraxic and/or have a close member of their family who has a SpLD. It often helps to share personal experiences, fears and embarrassments as well as tips and hints with others who understand.

Diverse Learners can also provide advice with declaring a disability, applying for Disabled Student Allowances or Access to Work.