Richard Špaček,SAS Retention Programs

Coordinator

Writing & Study Skills

• Individual tutoring by appointment• Drop-in hours• Grammar Hotline• Textual and online resources• Custom services for faculties• Regular small group workshops

(Student Success Workshops)

Tutoring/Workshop Topics

• Academic writing• Study skills:

– Time management– Note taking– Effective reading– Study systems – Exam preparation– Presentations

1. Identifying Students Who Need Help

2. Removing Study Help Stigma3. Removing Writing Help Stigma

The Problem

• Only 35% of full-time university students finish their degree in 4 years (U.S.)

• Potential is rarely the problem• Application is

Study Skills Deficit

• “Colleges should be aware that even their high-achieving applicants may lack the skills necessary to succeed” (Balduf, 2009)

• Many who soared through HS respond to high challenge and low reward with avoidance

Success: No Preparation

• “students who had previously experienced academic success encountered situations in college wherein low motivation contributed heavily to underachievement” (Baslanti, 2008)

• “Gifted underachievement may be a far more widespread occurrence than was previously considered” (Balduf, 2009)

Recommendations:

(1) develop their existing study skills,

(2) adopt strategies to help students regulate their level of commitment to the task at hand (e.g., by goal setting) (Balduf, 2009)

How to Tell When a Student Needs Help

Quizzical Look

Mouth Open

Eyebrowsraised

Students may not

ask for help even whenthey need it

(hint: may look like Seth Rogen)

More Importantly . . .

• Many students may show no external signs—but may have weak performance

• They may not know why they are having trouble

• We can help them locate the source of the problem—if they come to us

Problem of Stigma

• Some students would rather fail than seek help

• Why?• They don’t want to look stupid• Behavior evident as early as

grade 2• Many are very intelligent

Remove Stigma

• Develop strategies for referring students without activating resistance

• Recognize that a referral can appear to be an attack on competence or commitment

Study Skills Strategy 1

• Frame the problem as a specific skill deficit

• Emphasize the need to develop appropriate skills for the current context

Study Skills Strategy 2

• Frame the problem as a potential/performance gap

• Emphasize the unrealized potential

• Help seeking as restoration not remediation

Study Skills Strategy 3

• Frame the problem as an economic issue

• Point out that they’ve already paid for the Writing and Study Skills program

Writing Issues

• Strategies for overcoming stigma in seeking writing help

Strategy 1

• “it’s not you; it’s the language”

English and its ills: Irregularity

04/21/23 CEL UNB Fredericton 18

GHOTI“GH” as in

COUGH “TI” as in ATTENTION

“O” as in WOMEN

04/21/23 CEL UNB Fredericton 19

English and its ills: Irregularity

F I SH“GH” as in

COUGH “TI” as in ATTENTION

“O” as in WOMEN

Irregularity

• Irregularity undermines confidence

• Some international students feel the language is a trap . . .

• . . . so do some Canadian students

Strategy 2

• “It’s not your writing; it’s your editing”

The Nature of Reading

• We see what we expect to see;• We interpret as we read;• We are probably our own worst editors

• We know communication is robust—and so we are sometimes careless

Memorabilia

Word May Not Help!

Word May Not Help!

Locations

• C. C. Jones, Rooms 16 – 17 (daytime)• Booked appointments• HIL Learning Commons (evenings)• Engineering Library (evenings)• Sign-up system• Help us advertise!

Weekly Workshops

• Student Success Series – Tuesdays 6:30PM– Wednesday 12:30PM

• Workshops for classes, residence groups on demand

Information & Resources

• Our website:go.unb.ca/wss