My DSA assignment support skill tutor is not good. What do I do

[Warmday]

Hi all

I’m having some serious concerns. I have a learning difficulty. I have a tutor. And I’m so stressed with my assignment hoping for her help. She’s done nothing, she sent me back my work that was riddled with mistakes with 2 changes. I purposely left some errors as I know she would probably skim over them

That’s exactly what she did. She skimmed through it and left me 1/2 suggestions. That’s really not what I expected and I’m not getting good enough support

What do I do? Has anyone else had this issue

I don't think proofreading is part of their duties. They are more there as a support role to advise you of what specific technology and so on is avilable for you to use. do you have an actual agreed plan that they would provide a proofreading service as that would be very unsual?

Agree. They are not there to change and detail flaws or mistakes in your work, rather to help you balance your workload, structure your thoughts and get them down. What difficulties do you experience? It sounds as if you are expecting more than is within their remit.

Hi there. This is what I do. The tutors don’t proofread. It’s up to you to do the work, the support is there to level the playing field as it were. They make suggestions on how to improve, which might include a suggestion about punctuation. However, their role is to helps you learn how to improve. My advice would be to ask specific questions of your tutor when you give them your work. What did you find difficult, what do you want their help with. It’s a support to help you learn and then take their advice to move forward with the next assessment. That being said, if you are unhappy, talk to them in the first instance. They will want to know if you have feeling unsupported and unhappy and can also explain the purpose of their work as well as the boundaries. Good luck!

My DH has a DSA for his masters. I've overheard their discussions on Zoom, and it's all planning and time management advice. She wouldn't ever proofread his work. She isn't a specialist in his subject, for one thing.

I purposely left some errors as I know she would probably skim over them

Not a good thing to do: you show your lack of trust and frankly, disrespect there. It's in bad faith.

If you are unhappy with the support, you need to have a honest conversation with your tutor.

But at my place, disability support tutors don't proof read. They might help with how you go about planning, research, advice on note-taking, helping you to think about how you structure your work, and develop your argument.

And at my place, if you have a cognitive disability and a plan for how you deal with that, we're instructed (by a code on any submitted work) to mark using particular guidelines (mostly about understanding and 'reading through' dyslexia).

So while we might comment on some writing/structure issues, you wouldn't be penalised in the grade.

@QueenoftheAir I’ve tried. Yes they proof read. My needs assessment file states I will receive 1:1 support for: proofreading, sentence structure, flow, SPaG and suggestions to improve. I’ve gone ahead and checked the document cover to cover and the initial emails with the DSA tutor and they all confirm this to be the case.

@BadlyArrangedToasties thanks for your lovely advice☺️. My needs assessment file states I will receive 1:1 support for: proofreading, sentence structure, flow, SPaG and suggestions to improve. I’ve gone ahead and checked the document cover to cover and the initial emails with the DSA tutor and they all confirm this to be the case. Hence why I’m frustrated. My old uni gave me way more support as they had an integrated centre

@ShulamithFirestone they do proof read. My needs assessment file states I will receive 1:1 support for: proofreading, sentence structure, flow, SPaG and suggestions to improve. I’ve gone ahead and checked the document cover to cover and the initial emails with the DSA tutor and they all confirm this to be the case. I also have had this support before and I know this to be the case. But my last tutor was phd level but not an expert in my subject. This lady is masters educated and an expert in the subject.

@LIZSYes they proof read. My needs assessment file states I will receive 1:1 support for: proofreading, sentence structure, flow, SPaG and suggestions to improve. I’ve gone ahead and checked the document cover to cover and the initial emails with the DSA tutor and they all confirm this to be the case. My previous tutor proof read too so I know from experience

I still think you misunderstand . They support you in proofreading, not do it for you. As pointed out by pp they may have no specific knowledge of your subject, if they do it is likely a coincidence and they may not have covered same topics,

I do this job. I teach my students to proofread their own work on a 1-1 basis. That's what your needs assessment refers to. So I'll go through an assignment with my student and help them to identify and correct their errors and develop strategies for how to improve.
Study skills tutors are not a proofreading service. You could pay for that privately, or you can ask your tutor to help you develop proofreading strategies.

Ive just read a link from the Learning Support Centre who provide exactly this type of support. Here’s a list of the things they support you with:

*We can help you develop your academic skills and confidence in areas such as:

Planning and organisation
Time management
Action planning and target setting
Reading and research techniques
Academic writing skills
Procrastination, how to get started
Develop spelling lists
Proof reading techniques
Referencing
Revision strategies
Work output and delivery
Presentation skills*

As you can see, it says they help YOU develop your confidence and skills in the areas stated. Not that they will do the job for you. If a previous tutor did proofread your work then they’ve not helped you to develop your own skills really have they?

@Soontobe60 what that says and what my needs assessment report say are two different things. I have used loads of these tutors. I literally know what to expect

In that case I am unsure why you are asking for advice here. Literally everyone has said the same thing. If your assessment report says differently to every other student in the UK you can obviously take it up with your uni by contacting the head of Disability Services.

@SeasonFinale I mean there’s only 6/7 other commenters. I doubt they all speak for the DSA and unless you want me to upload my needs assessment then I’m not sure what you want me to say. I’ve had at least 3 different tutors. That have ALL proofread. Unless they’ve miraculously set out new guidlines then things are still the same

You clearly have a problem with this person but you also don’t seem to be able to understand that there are different points of view. I’m not sure what you’re wanting from posting here.

For any cognitive deficit, you need to develop strategies to deal with it. Not have someone else do your work for you. When you graduate and enter the work force, you’ll need to do all these things for yourself, so why are you focused on what you think other people should be doing for you, when you should be learning how to do it for yourself?

None of your study skills tutors should have been proofreading and sending you back corrected work. That just isn't the role. The point is to enable you to access your studies in the same way as your non disabled peers. Proofreading for someone is not enabling. Teaching someone how to proofread or how to use software to do so, is.

I've had students get cross with me for the same issue and I can understand why. The students often think I am invested in helping them get good grades, but again that is not my role. My role is to support and enable them to overcome barriers to study.

Saying that if it's not a good fit between you and your tutor you should speak to your disability advisor.

Of course I don't want you to upload your needs assessment. I simply said that if yours truly says what you say it does then you should be taking it up with the head of the disability service at your uni.

[quote Warmday]@Soontobe60 what that says and what my needs assessment report say are two different things. I have used loads of these tutors. I literally know what to expect[/quote]
Oh well, you clearly know best. Despite everyone else telling you otherwise. If you’re doing a degree or similar, do you think the tutor should be doing all the work for you?

support for: proofreading, sentence structure, flow, SPaG and suggestions to improve

"support for proof-reading" does not mean 'proof read for the student.'

If you post a screenshot of your needs assessment maybe others on here can decipher it for you.

I'm not sure the OP is interested in actually solving her problem ...

I agree, Queen.

Her initial question was what do I do?

If her needs assessment says what she believes it does she has had the advice to take it up with the Disability Service lead at her uni. That is what she should do.

If she has misunderstood the wording of her needs assessment there is nothing to do except be grateful that the other 3(!) support tutors she has already had so far made a decision to go above and beyond their duties but unfortunately that does not mean that any she has going forward will choose to do the same.

And speaking in general terms, I always worry about what happens to students in this situation who seem not to be able to develop strategies for dealing with their disability. I worry about how employable they're going to be ... I once had a student whose disability meant they only actually did about half the degree, but were extremely manipulative about being called on that. I understood why they behaved as they did, but in the long term, their behaviour was self-sabotaging, and they relied on their disability in a way as their identity.

Again, it's understandable, and I'm not saying students shouldn't articulate their needs or have support, but they need to be in the mindset of using the support to develop strategies to become independent of such support.

I worry about the future employability of students who become sort-of dependent on their disability as an identity. Which is different from a person with a different range of abilities being clear & matter-of-fact about the material impact of a disability, and able to articulate the "reasonable accommodations" they may need in a workplace.

@QueenoftheAir honestly stop making ridiculously broad statements that don’t apply to me at all. No ones saying I expect her to do my work. Because if I did. I doubt I’d be studying at postgraduate level or even have made it this far if I relied on them for everything.

If we’re here making assumptions like you. Then I’m sure I would be claiming benefits making the absolute most and capitalising off my situation. I’m not doing that. I’m educating myself to give back to society. I’m not doing nothing all day and if I let my “disability define who I am” then I’m sure I wouldn’t be sat here trying to educate myself. Just because I need the extra support doesn’t mean I’m letting my difficulty define me. How about take your ridiculous generalisations and put them elsewhere.