Study Skills for Students with Dyslexia

Sandra Hargreaves was the Programme Leader for the Post Graduate Certificate in Teaching Adult Dyslexic Learners in Higher Education at London Metropolitan University.Sandra Hargreaves was the Course Leader for both the MA SpLD and the PGDip in Assessment for SpLD (Dyslexia) at London Metropolitan University, where she was a Teaching Fellow. In addition she was Module Leader for Supporting Adult Learners with SpLD, which is part of the MA SpLD run jointly by the Dyslexia Association in Singapore and London Metropolitan University. She is the Director of Mind Aligned (www.mindaligned.org). Mind Aligned is a service which covers a range of different activities including diagnosing dyslexia and supporting dyslexic adults both in higher education and the workplace.  Sandra has been involved in dyslexia support at Thames Valley University, the Inner London Probation Service and Uxbridge College. She previously worked for many years in Australia at Macquarie University in the Teacher Education Programme where she was the Course Leader of the Secondary English Team.  She has Associate Membership of the British Dyslexia Association in Further and Higher Education (AMBDA FE/HE) and a Practising Certificate from the Professional Association of Teachers of Students with SpLD (PATOSS). Sandra has been involved with education throughout her career. After initial training as an English teacher at the University of Newcastle in Australia, she com­pleted both an MA and MEd at the University of Sydney. She has undertaken all her training in dyslexia in the UK. She is also dyslexic. Jamie Crabb has over 10 years’ experience working in secondary and higher education.  Following his BA (Hons.) Drama and Education he worked as project coordinator for the Metropolitan Police Safer Schools Project initiative in Haringey and completed his Masters in Performance Practices and Research.  He subsequently worked as visiting lecturer/tutor in applied theatre and theatre and performance at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (RCSSD). More recently, Jamie’s work has focused upon specialist support and assessment for specific learning differences (SpLDs) and neurodiversity in higher education.  He was the Disability Services Coordinator at RCSSD until early 2014, and currently works as a freelance SpLD tutor, assessor and assistive technology specialist, and is completing his postgraduate training in integrative counselling and psychotherapy.  He is part of the Diversity and Ability (DnA) Leadership Team with a role in training and innovations.  DnA (http://www.dnamatters.co.uk) is a social enterprise specialising in integrating assistive technology and study strategies, and other specialist support for students with disabilities, SpLDs and other neurodiversity in Higher Education and the workplace, and recently with the charity Crisis in London.  He is involved in the executive committee and a quality assured member of the Association of Dyslexia Specialists in Higher Education (ADSHE), a member of the Professional Association of Teachers of Students with SpLDs (PATOSS), the National Association of Disability Practitioners (NADP), Psychotherapists and Counsellors for Social Responsibility (PCSR) and a student member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

• Introduction - Sandra Hargreaves and Jamie CrabbCHAPTER 1: Managing Your Study - Jamie Crabb, Jane Davis & Sandra HargreavesCHAPTER 2: Understanding how you Think and Learn - Jane Davis, Jo Easton and Sandra HargreavesCHAPTER 3: How to make the most of your Lectures - Rachel SimpsonCHAPTER 4: Note Taking and Note Making - Kay McEachranCHAPTER 5: Reading Strategies and Speed Reading - Rachel Simpson, Robert Mclaren, Peri Batliwala, Judith CattermoleCHAPTER 6: Answering Essay Questions - Sandra HargreavesCHAPTER 7: Structuring Different Writing Genres - Helen BirkmyreCHAPTER 8: Critical Thinking - Pauline SumnerCHAPTER 9: Improving Your Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation - Sandra Hargreaves and John BrennanCHAPTER 10: Improving Mathematics Skills and Using Statistics - John Brennan Judith CattermoleCHAPTER 11: Revision and Examination Techniques - Sandra Hargreaves, Jane Davis and Jo Easton,CHAPTER 12: Presentations and Collaborative Learning - Paula Baty & Jamie CrabbCHAPTER 13: The DissertationGlossaryReferences & Further Reading

Many students may be able to access both the book and materials to develop their study skills effectively by themselves; especially if they have received study skills support previously, or have already developed effective study habits, as the book and materials would give them new ideas for improving their skills. The strength of the book for study skills specialists is the range of materials it offers, from note-making and note-taking, through to basic maths concepts. The book also offers advice on ways to use strategies most effectively, as demonstrated in chapter 4 which advises on the of use Q-notes.The book’s strategies and ideas, especially the use of technology, would apply to any student, and across the range of learning differences. It can also be adapted for both FE and Secondary students.