Academic Skills Advisers provide support during classes to help you with any literacy,
language or numeracy difficulties you may have so that you can develop these skills
while achieving your main qualification.
Areas we can assist you with include: spelling, grammar, punctuation, assignment
planning and writing, research skills, times tables, multiplication, division, metric
measurements, fractions, percentages and decimals.
How does Academic Skills Support work?
Specialist Advisers come into your classes where they will have the opportunity
to work with you on a one-to-one basis and:
- Discuss what areas of literacy and/or numeracy you are more confident with and which
areas you would like to improve, so that they can offer support to meet your individual
needs
- Encourage and support you when you use the skills you are least confident with and
show you ways to make using these skills easier
- Help you to look through your work to make sure it makes sense and that all areas
of literacy and/or numeracy have been checked before you hand it in
Visual Stress
Some people experience visual stress, a condition that can make it difficult to
read text. At South Essex College the Academic Skills Team Leaders have an
array of coloured strips that may help your visual stress when reading, although
we also advise that you see a suitably qualified optometrist.
ESOL –English for Speakers of Other Languages
If English is not your first language you may find some additional support helpful.
The College can help you:
- Understand the ideas and language or terms that are related to your course
- Say or write down your ideas using the appropriate English words and grammar
- Practise listening and speaking skills
- Develop reading and writing skills
Dyslexia Support
If you have dyslexia then the College can offer you extra support to help you achieve
your main qualification. One-to-one sessions can be organised for times when you
are off timetable and we use a multi-sensory approach to help with:
- Spelling – we can offer a formal spelling programme or memory tips for remembering
spellings
- Reading – our quick read books can help you improve your reading skills
- Writing – we offer support in all aspects of planning and writing with a structured
study skills programme available
- Coursework
- Time management and organisation
- Specialist equipment
Special Exam Considerations
Please let us know if you have ever been allowed extra time, a reader or a scribe
for any public examinations or if you have received support with literacy and/or
numeracy in the past. Also, it would be useful for us to be aware of any assessments
you have taken linked to the support you received.