Learning Support

Students with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) can avail of Learning Support once they have registered with the Disability & Learning Support Service. To avail of learning support, students need to provide an Educational Psychological report carried out in the past 5 years.

The aim of Learning Support is to facilitate students with developing the appropriate academic skills required to access and progress through their course.  A needs assessment will be carried out with the student which will highlight their individual learning needs. The student will be asked about their current needs as they see them and the areas of their course they find most difficult. The Educational Psychological Report provides background information on the student’s difficulties. The Needs Assessment is used to plan Learning Support provision.

Learning Support is negotiated between each student and the tutor. Support remains flexible during the course of the academic year and is guided by the student’s requirements. It may contain any or all of the following elements:

• Developing techniques to improve reading, writing and comprehension.
• Note taking skills.
• Preparation for exams, revision and exam techniques.
• Organisation and time-management skills.
• Memory techniques.
• Essay/assignment planning and writing.
• Project planning and report writing.
• Structuring of sentences.
• Spelling strategies.
• Other requirements as identified through the Needs Assessment.