Peer Support: Peer-Assisted Learning Scheme
PALS Handbook 2014/15 Resources for Student Leaders
Key PALS contacts For any general enquiries about Peer Support, or developing your PAL scheme further, contact the Peer Support Project Coordinator (EUSA): katie.scott@eusa.ed.ac.uk. Key contacts in school: Note down the contact details of any important people related to your PAL scheme and student support in your school. Make sure you know who to go to with your feedback, concerns and for support.
Introduction to Peer-Assisted Learning Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) is a system of student-to-student support whereby students are supported in their studies by students from upper years (Student Leaders). PAL aims to support first year students through the academic and social transition to Higher Education whilst developing their learning and study strategies such as exam and revision techniques, note-taking and essay writing skills. PAL has been shown to work at universities throughout the UK, and the world, across many disciplines. The PAL session is the place where PAL `happens´. Usually, PAL takes place in a seminar room with a pair of Student Leaders (SLs) facilitating discussion amongst a group of up to twenty-five students. Each session is a chance for first years to share studying problems or worries within a supportive, informal environment. PALS can often be described as ‘a safe place to ask stupid questions.’ Student Leaders facilitate sessions and do not teach. Leaders might offer help with skills such as revision and exam techniques or note-taking, but may not give specific answers to questions on course content.
How PALS operates at the University of Edinburgh Each School manages PALS differently, some automatically allocate students to groups and others have students opt in. It is worth checking what the system is within your School. Each group is led by a pair of trained SLs who are second, third or fourth year students. Each group usually meets for an hour every week or fortnight during the first and sometimes 2nd semester to discuss issues surrounding the study of their discipline and, more widely, life at university. SLs facilitate the sessions and their role is strictly not one of teaching. Discussions follow the flow of the timetable to ensure topics such as notetaking and essay-writing are covered in time for students to make use of these. SLs are given supporting materials and are encouraged to share their own experience of studying at university and in doing so to encourage the first years to reflect on their own learning experiences and how they might take them forward. The day-to-day operation of PALS is overseen by a PALS Coordinator (Key Contact) who acts as the first port of call for the SLs and for the first years.
21 Principles of PAL: Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) in the UK is based upon the following 21 principles:1. It is a methodology for learner support. 2. It is small group learning. 3. It is facilitated by other students acting as mentors. 4. It is confidential. 5. It is voluntary. 6. It is non-remedial. 7. It is participative. 8. It is content-based and process oriented. 9. It encourages collaborative learning rather than competitive learning. 10. It benefits all students regardless of current academic competency. 11. It gives privacy to practise the subject, make mistakes and build up confidence. 12. It gives opportunity to increase academic performance. 13. It is pro-active, not reactive. 14. It targets high ‘risk’ courses, not high ‘risk’ students. 15. It decreases drop-out rates and aids retention. 16. It encourages learner autonomy. 17. It does not create dependency. 18. It integrates effective learning strategies with course content. 19. It enables a clear view of course expectations. 20. It works in the language of the discipline. 21. It challenges the barrier between year groups. Aims of training The purpose of training is to discuss the aims and general character of PALS at the University of Edinburgh and to equip students with skills in facilitation and leading small groups. Student Leaders (SLs) should obtain an understanding of the potential benefits of PALS to first-year students, themselves and their wider School. On completion of the training, SLs should be comfortable with the idea of managing a session, including a firm grasp on the distinction between teaching and facilitating; the way sessions should be planned and structured (including a detailed plan for the first session); how the content of sessions will be determined and how to deal with difficult incidents. Training is also when the PALS Coordinator works with the students and observes them with a view to pairing Student Leaders together.
Introduction to PALS activity What is Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) or Supplemental Instruction (SI) Take a moment to read this summary and underline the essential elements of PALS: Developed by Dr Deanna Martin in 1973 at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, Supplemental Instruction (SI)/ Peer Assisted Learning is an academic assistance program that increases student performance and retention. The SI program targets traditionally difficult academic subjects—those that have a high rate of D or F grades and withdrawals—and provides regularly scheduled, out-of-class, peer facilitated sessions. PAL does not identify high-risk students, but rather identifies historically difficult classes. Assistance begins at the beginning of the term. During the first class session, the Student Leader describes PAL and may survey the class to establish a schedule for PAL that will be convenient for most students who show interest. PAL sessions normally occur in classrooms near the subject classroom instead of in a learning centre. PAL sessions are open to all students in the subject and are attended on a voluntary basis. Student Leaders are students who have demonstrated competence in this or a comparable subject. PAL sessions are comprised of students of varying abilities and no effort is made to segregate students based on academic ability. Since PAL is introduced on the first day of classes and is open to all students in the class, PAL is not viewed as remedial. The PAL Leaders are the key people in the program. They are presented as model students of the subject. As such, they present an appropriate model of thinking, organisation and mastery of the discipline. All Student Leaders take part in an intensive two-day training session before the beginning of the academic term. This training covers such topics as how students learn as well as instructional strategies aimed at strengthening student academic performance, building community and management details. PAL sessions integrate how-to-learn with what-to-learn. Students who attend PAL sessions discover appropriate application of study strategies, e.g. note taking, graphic organization, questioning techniques, vocabulary acquisition, and test preparation, as they review content material. Students have the opportunity to become actively involved in the subject material as the Student Leaders use the text, supplementary readings, and lecture notes as the vehicle for learning skill instruction. The PAL Supervisor*, an on-site professional staff person or designated student, implements and supervises the PAL program. This person is responsible for identifying the targeted subjects, gaining faculty support, selecting and training PAL Leaders, monitoring the quality of PAL sessions, and evaluating the program. The Student Leaders meet as a group with the PAL supervisor at least three times during the term for follow-up and problem-solving. PAL students earn higher subject grades and withdraw less often than non-PAL participants. Also, data demonstrate higher reenrolment and graduation rates. Derived from the SI Supervisor Manual University of Missouri Kansas City
Copyrights by The Curators of the University of Missouri, 2006
What makes a good Student Leader (SL)?
Student Leaders: Role and Responsibilities Student Leaders (SLs) are the most essential part of any Peer Assisted Learning Scheme, and, it has been suggested, are the 'real winners' from PAL (Donelan, 1999). SLs are generally expected to run one hour-long session per week. They will also be asked to attend meetings and reviews with their PALS Coordinator (Key Contact). SLs will run PAL sessions in pairs. SLs will be individuals who have succeeded in the previous years of their course, have welldeveloped study habits and are motivated to help others do the same. SLs will receive thorough training from a member of the Peer Support Team (EUSA), during which they will learn more about the PAL model, their roles, practical skills to use in PAL sessions, ways to promote Peer Assisted Learning and ideas on how to run sessions SLs will make brief reports of their PAL sessions and ensure these reach the PALS Coordinator (Key Contact).
Student Leaders develop a number of skills useful in future employment and study through their training and experience. These include:
Management skills Confidence Communication skills Critical thinking/ problem solving Leadership Ability to work in and manage a team Self-awareness Organisational and time management skills Mediation and negotiation
Ground Rules of PAL Be accessible Check your e-mail, answer messages quickly and be clear on when and where sessions are taking place. Be encouraging PAL should provide a safe space for everyone, no matter what their academic ability and requirements. Help to build confidence by encouraging new ideas and explorations. Be on time Especially for group sessions – start and finish on time, and you will encourage participants to do the same. Be respectful Don’t use, or allow others to use discriminatory language. Respect everyone’s abilities as well as their needs. Be collaborative, not competitive Remember you are not a teacher – PAL is about students helping each other. Don’t diss the department (or the College) However tempting, that is not your job. Deal with complaints sensitively, and suggest students pass them on to Personal Tutors if necessary. Watch out for time thieves Don’t let PAL take over your life – be aware of how much time you are spending, and protect your own work time. If you are getting too many demands for help, get together with all the other PAL Leaders and your Key Contact and think about how you can either help more efficiently, or pass on a persistent problem to the right member of staff.
PALS Student Leader Code of Practice (Peer Assisted Learning Scheme) I agree to comply with the terms of the University of Edinburgh/EUSA PALS Student Leader Code of Practice, as a condition of my voluntary role as a Student Leader. STUDENT LEADER CODE OF PRACTICE As a Student Leader, I will: Attend all PALs training sessions and Student Leader meetings. Attend all weekly PALs sessions timetabled for my group. Give the PALs Key Contact at least 48 hours notice of planned and agreed absence, and reasonable notice of sickness/other unavoidable absence. Collect records of attendance from students and submit them to the PALs Coordinator for the purpose of evaluation. Contribute to the promotion and advertisement of PALs to first year students and prospective students as reasonably required. Observe the requirements of the Code of Practice for Student Leaders. CONFIDENTIALITY (See Code of Confidentiality for detailed information) 1. The particular content of PALs sessions is confidential to those within the group. 2. PALs group members must have confidence that their discussions and individual contributions to sessions will not be repeated outside the group. 3. However, in order to protect members from accusations of plagiarism, and to ensure that sessions are conducted appropriately, Student Leaders are required to maintain a record of the discussion topics from each session. 4. Student Leaders may also raise concerns expressed by students in their groups. No individual student should be identified or identifiable in the course of these discussions. STUDENT CONTACT Contact with group members will at all times be professional and appropriate to the role of Student Leader: 1. Student Leaders and students will treat each other with respect and courtesy at all times. 2. Student Leaders will advise the Key Contact if a member of his/her group is, or becomes, known to them as a friend outside the context of
the group. In these circumstances it is recommended that it would be in the interests of both if the student moves to another group. 3. No personal information, i.e. phone or address will be exchanged or requested from students within the context of the group. Email contact will be made via the student university mail system. 4. We do not recommend you ‘friend’ a member of your group on Facebook, however if you do decide to do this please follow the guidance in the Code of Confidentiality 5. If a student in the group raises a welfare concern about him/herself or another, or requests an individual meeting outside the group, Student Leaders will advise them to contact the appropriate service within the university, and tell the Key Contact that such a request was made. Student Leaders will immediately advise the student that such discussions are not part of their role. Student Leaders will not engage in discussion of the problem, both for their protection, and that of the student concerned. SESSION CONTENT Student Leaders are not Tutors or Lecturers No information or advice regarding academic subject content will be given by Student Leaders. Sessions will not include discussion of assessment topic or content. Students asking questions relating to academic content will be referred back to the students’ course tutors and lecturers. Student Leaders should discourage students from treating PALs as a substitute for attending classes. I agree to abide by the terms of the above Code while volunteering as a Student Leader for the PALs Scheme. Student Leader Signature: Signed……………………………………………………………………………. Name Printed……………………………………………………………………. Email Address…………………………………………………………………… School……………………………………………………………………………. Date………………………………………………………………………………. Coordinator Signature………………………………………………………...
Code of Confidentiality A code of confidentiality is necessary for a peer support programme to be successful. The following describes what confidentiality is, what it means to break a confidence, and how to break confidentiality if the situation should arise. It is very rare that confidentiality may need to be breached, but we have to ensure that you know what to do if this happens.
What does confidentiality mean? In general, everything that someone talks to you about in your role as a PALS Leader should be kept between you, the project and the person whom you are supporting, whether you are using your skills formally or informally (see the confidentiality triangle at the end). You can talk about the specific issues affecting the student you are supporting with your Key Contact or a personal tutor at any time, but not with another PALS Leader. If you need support and/or feel burdened by something you have been told it is important that you get in touch with your Key Contact, personal tutor or speak to a member of support staff immediately.
Maintaining confidential information:
Complete confidentiality will be maintained throughout the project. All student users will be made aware that any information they give to a Peer Support volunteer or to the Key Contact may be shared within the project only on a strictly ‘need to know’ basis. Peer Support volunteers will not pass on any information about a student user to any individual or agency outside of the project, without the student user’s informed consent and the Key Contact’s agreement. Reasonable care must be taken to ensure that conversations relating to student users cannot be overheard by visitors, other students and anyone outside of the project. Personal information relating to any individuals within the project, including staff, student users and Peer Support volunteers will be stored securely. Individuals will be made aware of what personal information is being held on them and will know how to access their own records. Personal information relating to student users and Peer Support volunteers may only be processed with the express consent of the individual concerned. Peer Support volunteer supervision records will be kept and are confidential to the individuals concerned and the Key Contact. Peer Support volunteers home addresses will not be disclosed to student users under any circumstances.
When to seek guidance As a PALS Leader you are in a position to help students consider whether there is someone in the university who would be helpful to talk to, eg. a personal tutor, a senior tutor, chaplain, GP or counselling services. If possible they should do this themselves, but if it’s appropriate and you feel comfortable you can support them to do this. PALS Leaders need to achieve an appropriate balance between understanding, maintaining and respecting the information they have been entrusted with, the overall welfare of the students concerned, and the impact the concern is having on the project as a whole. You can and should always seek guidance when making these decisions.
When you must break confidentiality The following are times you will need to break confidentiality for the safety of the person seeking help, for the safety of the wider community, and for your safety too. If someone has attempted or is talking about attempting suicide If someone is talking about harming themselves or another person If there is evidence of serious mental health problems or self-harm If someone is experiencing or at risk of sexual, emotional or physical abuse When not acting on information would increase the risk of danger to any individual If you are unsure about any of the above, speak to your Key Contact or another member of support staff before taking any action. Ideally, student users will be informed of the need to breach confidentiality prior to it happening. However in an emergency, where this is not possible, s/he will be informed of the breach at the earliest opportunity. Confidentiality must only be breached following discussion with the Key Contact. Unauthorised breaches of confidentiality are unacceptable.
How to break confidentiality Once you have decided to break confidentiality, let the person seeking support know your decision, discuss the situation with your Key Contact. Explain why confidentiality needs to be broken, and that you will support them through the process. Wherever possible, disclosure of confidential information should be with the student’s consent; however, there may be instances whereby you will need to break confidentiality without it.
Your Key Contact is there to support you, so that you are not left feeling alone, or being burdened by, or responsible for someone in a difficult situation. Together you will decide in what way you will carry on supporting the person who has come to you, if appropriate. Encourage the student to approach the appropriate resource themselves. It is important they make the appointment themselves, unless it is an emergency situation. Remember, the need to break confidentiality does not arise often, but you do need to know what to do if such a situation occurs. While it can feel difficult to disclose a confidence, the bounds of confidentiality are there to protect the person seeking help, the Student Leader and the institution as a whole. It is important for you to have support yourself throughout the process of breaking confidentiality. It is important to stay aware of your feelings and to express them in supervision or with your Key Contact, or to another member of support staff, so you can support yourself though the whole process.
Guidelines: Confidentiality and Social Media We suggest that you do not add any student users you support to any of your social media accounts for the span of the time you are involved with a project and if you would like to add them as ‘friends’ you set up a separate Peer Support volunteer account. If you do decide to add them as ‘friends’ we advise you to follow these guidelines:
Ensure your privacy settings are secure and that the student user can message you but not access your photos and personal information Where possible posts messages through a group page, remembering not to include any personal information the student user would not wish to be shared The confidential information shared through this medium should follow the confidentiality guidelines above
If unsure about this guidance in any way, please ask your Key Contact.
Guidelines: Meeting in social settings If you choose to meet your student users in a non-academic setting for example in ‘families’ we ask you observe the following guidelines:
Ensure you respect the boundaries of the student user and are clear about the purpose of your role Do not engage in a relationship with your student user for the duration of your time as a volunteer with the project
Do not consume alcohol with your student user while acting in your role as volunteer Do not go to the student users home alone or ask them to your home Make an effort to meet in groups of at least 2-3 people unless your project is specifically one-to-one, in which case ask for further guidance Where possible meet in a public space Ensure you take a note of the activity at the time
The Confidentiality Triangle This is a visual aid to allow you to understand the meaning of confidentiality within the setting of your peer support project. The triangle represents the support structures in place for helping volunteer deal with disclosures of sensitive information that may be told to you by a student user. This information is kept completely confidential between yourself, the student and the Peer Support project staff or your Key Contact. Within these bounds you have not broken confidentiality, and it is with this support from your supervisors that you may decide if, when and how to break confidentiality.
Student Leader
Student User
Project Staff/ Key Contact
Adapted from ‘Setting up a Successful Mentoring or Befriending Programme: A Resource Pack for Project Co-ordinators’ Mentoring & Befriending Foundation
Expectations of PALS: 2 minute paper What do you hope to get out of being a PALS leader? What do you hope to get out of training?
What makes a good PAL Session? Guidance from the University of Missouri Kansas City
Plans the sessions carefully by deciding what is the most difficult (not necessarily the most important) content and then matches carefully planned strategies to address the difficult content.
A good leader helps students develop strategies that organise the content and organise the group study time efficiently. Both faculty and supervisors can help the leaders determine what will be the most difficult concepts.
PAL is based on effective learning strategies.
The leader pays attention to the group’s interactions. The students sit in a circle or semi-circle in order to see each other. Students talk to each other and ask each other questions rather than the questions’ being asked and/or answered by the leader. The session is not a question-answer session.
Students are doing most of the processing of the content. If the leader brings in hand-outs that are filled out or questions that are already made out, the leader has done most of the processing rather than the students. In good PAL sessions, the group will predict most of the test questions.
Content is broken down into component parts and the learning strategies employed clarify rather than confuse content.
The leader uses good wait time and redirects questions.
The Student Leader is not the PAL Teacher” but a leader who facilitates rather than “teaches.”
There is humour and informality, students feel free to bring food or drinks and free to come and go.
Students feel free to come to the sessions even if they have not prepared specific questions ahead of time.
PAL Leaders and students know each other’s’ names.
An agenda is set (including items suggested by group members), and there is closure to the sessions.
Nobody expects a quick fix.
Faculty members are given both quantitative and qualitative feedback.
Session Content Student Leaders are not Tutors or Lecturers No information or advice regarding academic subject content will be given by a Student Leader. Sessions will not include discussion of assessment topic or content. Students asking questions relating to academic content will be referred back to the students’ course tutors and lecturers. Student Leaders should discourage students from treating PALs as a substitute for attending classes. The PAL Session Possible Topics: Effective use of the library Settling into University Time management Getting the best out of lectures or seminars Effective note taking Research techniques Presentation Skills Avoiding plagiarism Referencing and quotation Essay writing Exam revision Self-review Or other related topics suggested by students in the group. Note: These resources should be used in conjunction with knowledge gained from the training sessions. The order of the sections is not necessarily intended to indicate an ideal order of discussion, which should be flexible and tailored to the response and input from the students. For example, there may be an immediate and compelling concern that they bring to a session which may need to be addressed before matters like agreeing the agenda are undertaken. However this can be used as an overall guide.
Structure
Agenda Setting Providing Structure Closing the Session
Agenda Setting After you have welcomed students to the session, the next thing you will probably want to do is set an agenda. For the first few minutes of the session, it may be useful to set an agenda of items to work through during the hour. Agenda setting is useful to: · provide structure to the session - to enable you to have a clear picture of what to work through during the session · make sure from the start that students have a significant say in what is covered · make sure students are encouraged from the start to raise any issues of concern or interest to them Ask students what they want to cover. Spend as long as it takes to write up points for discussion. When students’ ideas have been exhausted, agree the order in which you will work through this agenda and how long approximately it will take for each item. Structure the PAL session by working through the agreed agenda items. Warning: Getting used to setting an agenda, i.e. deciding upon issues to discuss, may be a very new idea to some students. Don’t be surprised if there is initially some reluctance and reticence to come up with ideas to review in the session. You will always have back-up topics to hand, just in case! How to set the agenda Points from previous PAL session(s) You can begin writing up agenda items on the basis of comments or requests made by students in the previous PAL session. Next, ask open-ended questions to discover information. This could be about settling in, for example:
How have they found their first week(s) at Edinburgh? How have students found University? What would they like more information about? What nightlife have they discovered?
Write up points for further discussion, e.g. finding your way around, using the library, first year lecturers - how to approach them.
Summary After the first five or ten minutes of your PAL session, you should have at least some agenda items to work through during the session. You can now work each point systematically, remaining aware of how much time is appropriate to spend on each. As you start to address each point, begin discussion by asking a very open-ended, group-lead questions about it, for example “Who would like to explain something about X?�
Providing Structure As a PAL Leader, you need to find the balance between offering enough structure to keep the session on track whilst allowing individuals the freedom to express their ideas. Using session plans when meeting with staff can help this process, as can some of the following ideas. Some ways of providing structure to sessions i. Work systematically through the agenda Once the agenda has been agreed, stick to it. Spend some time on each point. Ask open-ended questions to begin discussion. Later, summarise the main ideas related to it before moving on to the next item. ii. Use a variety of techniques to keep the session interesting Use group discussion and pair work, and ask students to do board work. Keep the session informal but also make sure you focus on what needs to be achieved. Spend some of your time sitting with students and some time at the board. Lead general open-ended discussion iii. Provide information visually and verbally Some students learn better visually, others verbally. Try to make use of both, e.g. by using pictorial representations (diagrams) and verbal illustrations (lists and prompts). iv. Summarise important points At the end of each agenda item, summarise the main points. This will work even better if you can encourage students to provide the summary for you. Summary: outline of a PAL session Your PAL session will last up to an hour. For example: 0-3 minutes: Welcome students to session. Complete attendance sheets. Allow group to settle. Join in any general conversation. 3-10 minutes: Set the agenda for the session and agree numbered points of items to work through during the session.
10-50 minutes: Systematically work through the agenda items, leading discussion. If there is time, you may wish to use a pair-work activity. 45-55 minutes: Summarise the main points from the session with students’ help. Overall, it is important to keep a reasonable balance between structure and a free, informal process of discussion – not always easy, but it will come with practice!
Closing the Session To ensure that students do not lose sight of the big picture, reserve the last few minutes of any session for a review and summary of the session. Notes or books should not be used. You should start closing the session around ten minutes before the end. Some ways of closing the session: i.
Students could be put into pairs or small groups and asked to write a paragraph explaining what was covered in the session, for example. When this has been completed, you can then go around the room asking for feedback and write the key points on the board
ii.
Get students to say what they thought was the single most important concept, idea or understanding that they learned during the session. Write up some key points.
iii.
Ensure the sign-in sheet has been completed by all.
iv.
Ask students to say whether there is anything they would like to cover in the next week’s session. Write a list of points on the board and make a note of them yourself.
Thank everyone present for their time and contributions.
PAL Learning Strategies Matrix: A matrix is a chart with columns and rows used to compare and contrast two or more subjects. Think-Pair-Share: As the name implies, students think about a question individually, then pair up to discuss their ideas, and finally come together as one group to share their answers. Informal Quiz: The leader asks students to write down their answers to questions given orally. The written answers are short but are designed to stimulate a broad discussion. Sequencing: The leader scrambles material and has students put it back in order (example: steps in a math problem or a biological cycle). Reciprocal Questioning: The leader structures time to alternate between asking the students questions and the students asking the leader questions. S/he asks a student to track the types of questions asked (higher/lower order) and continues to redirect questions. Note Review: Students read through their notes, taking turns from subject to subject. While one student is reading, other students are encouraged to add to the discussion by providing missing information and questioning the content of his/her notes. Frequently used at the beginning of the semester. Divide & Conquer: This is a version of the Jigsaw strategy. The leader breaks up a large amount of material (usually a reading) into smaller segments, then assigns a segment to a student or group. Then the students present their segment to the whole group. One-Minute Paper: Students write for one minute on a question or topic given by the leader. Helpful to refocus, open, or close the session. Boardwork Model: This is a template for board work that asks the group to list prerequisite information needed to solve a problem (example: formulas), record the mathematical steps of the solution, record the steps of the solution in narrative form, and construct a similar problem. Flowcharts and Diagrams: These are visual models that allow students to organize information in a way that is meaningful to them
Adapted from the SI leader resource manual, copyrights by the Curators of the University of Missouri, 2004.
Learning Strategies Activity PAL sessions should not focus on course content, but more on the processes that can be used to tackle different problems. Recipient students should be directing the agenda and discussion, and working towards answers together. SLs should help them find new ways of learning collaboratively, by introducing new strategies, processes and activities, and encouraging creativity and reflection. Make a note of some new learning strategies that might come in useful – can you think of example topics?
Session Planning Opening the session Considerations: room layout, introductions/ice-breakers, taking attendance Explaining PALS It is essential that you explain PALS properly, lay the ground rules and make sure everyone has appropriate expectations. Familiarise your students with the PALS model, including the idea of facilitation, learning processes and why taking attendance is important. Be prepared to answer initial questions and clarify misconceptions or confusion related to PALS. Think about the most difficult concepts and ideas Plan how you will present these to the group, and what strategies you will us. Think about your overall aims/objectives when planning the session. This type of matrix can be used to plan the whole session or smaller parts of the session/ individual activities: Content
Session Planning
Process
Timing
Objectives: Most difficult material/concepts/main points to take home?
Content
Notes:
Process
Timing
Session Planning Objectives: Most difficult material/concepts/main points to take home?
Content
Notes:
Process
Timing
Session Planning Objectives: Most difficult material/concepts/main points to take home?
Content
Notes:
Process
Timing
Session Planning Objectives: Most difficult material/concepts/main points to take home?
Content
Notes:
Process
Timing
Listening and Communication Skills Listening effectively takes time, patience and skill. We can choose to be effective listeners, whereby we pay attention, understand and respond to what someone is saying, or we can listen on a more superficial level and not listen for the meaning behind the words. It is important to be able to listen in both ways, but when in a supportive role, the focus is on the former, in order to help the speaker express what he/she needs to say. Active and effective listening can be learnt. There are many levels on which we hear a message. We literally hear words, we notice body language and tone of voice (93% of communication is conveyed through these) and we react emotionally, which in turn affects the way we hear what is said. In day to day life, we select what we want to listen to. How we feel about what is being said can greatly affect our effectiveness as listeners. If the message is not one we agree with we are likely to tune it out. It is important to bear in mind the following: Speakers send messages both verbally and non-verbally; sometimes the messages are conflicting The speaker and the listener each have filters which can both help and hinder the listening process. Filters include our own experiences, personal values, attitudes, socialisation, cultural background, age, gender and emotional triggers Responding to and evaluating the message: We respond to and evaluate what we hear when information is presented to us. We can run into problems at this stage if we jump to conclusions or don’t listen fully to what is being said. We need to ask ourselves if we are listening to someone or against them, if we are evaluating what is being said in a positive way, or making a negative value judgement. Key elements in helping us respond and evaluate: Knowing the purpose of listening Using questions appropriately, including open, feeling-level and clarifying questions which will be discussed further in the training Avoiding ‘why’ question in response to someone’s opinion – they can feel judgemental and critical
Effective listening techniques: Using Reflection Reflecting skills (reflecting what the other person is saying back to them) is also important in supportive listening. Although the concept may seem formulaic at first, you will find you adapt it to the way you listen to people and it will soon become second nature. Reflecting skills help in the following ways:
We unlearn judgment and moralising We show understanding to the speaker We check our understanding of what the speaker has said to us We validate the speaker’s feelings We help the person to understand him/herself We allow the speaker to express feelings and clarify thoughts We empower the speaker to make decisions for him/herself
Summarising This is when the bulk of what is being said is fed back to the speaker. The listener needs to listen carefully, so that he/she can relay back to the speaker important thoughts and feelings that were expressed. Examples: “It sounds like you would like to talk to your friend about…but are afraid of her reaction.” “From what you say, it seems like your dad has been important in your life because…” “What I hear you saying is that you are tired of being criticised.” Support A response (verbal or non-verbal) that communicates concern, regard, understanding or trust: Examples: “I can see this has been very upsetting for you.” “It sounds like some days you feel better, but that some days you still feel down.” “From what you have told me, it took a lot of courage for you to come and talk to me.”
Referring Students As a SL you are put in a position of responsibility and trust. Students may approach you with problems well outside of the academic setting. If a student
comes to you with a problem that you are not qualified to handle, it is important that you are able to refer them to another person or service, or tell them that you will find out for them and get back to them via email (see Signposting activity).
Communication Skills Feedback Observer What was said by the speaker?
Comments/reflections
Speaker Comments/reflections
Listener Comments/reflections
Heard by the listener?
Communication: Self-test Complete columns 2 and 3 in the table Aspect of communication
How expert are you? Aware? Competent? Expert?
How frequently do you use these? At least: Every day? Weekly? Monthly?
Understand and apply good interpersonal communication, and active listening Establish rapport with those you appraise Use non-verbal body language Give constructive feedback Recognise and manage conflict Challenge other’s beliefs constructively Interpersonal skills: influencing, assertiveness, facilitation Enable a constructive outcome to appraisal Have an enthusiastic attitude to appraisal Maintain confidentiality Recognise when others require help Table adapted from Chambers R, Tavabie A, Mohanna K, Wakley G. The Good Appraisal Toolkit for Primary Care. Oxford: Radcliffe Publishing; 2004, referenced in Self-check of communication knowledge and skills as an appraiser, Working in Partnership Programme, NHS, Crown Copyright, 2006.
Back-to-back listening exercise
Sign-posting activity 1. You are supporting a student tells you that they are struggling with their course because they are working two jobs to pay for their Accommodation. They are worried they won’t be able to catch up and don’t know who to talk too. Who can help? 2. One of your students confides in you they were attacked on the way back to their accommodation last weekend. They managed to escape and have felt awful about it since and didn’t feel they could report it to anyone. They have started to self-harm to deal with their feelings and show you some large cuts on their arms. Who can help? 3. A student you are supporting has expressed an interest in studying abroad but doesn’t know who to talk too or where to get advice. Who can help?. 4. A student comes to you and asks for help with an essay they are doing, they say that they know you have done it before and could they have a copy. They say that they don’t understand how to reference or good study skills. Who can help? 5. You are supporting student from China who has approached you saying they feel isolated and they are struggling to make friends within the home community. Who could help?. 6. A student mentions in conversation that their Aunt died of Breast Cancer and they have been thinking they would like to raise money for MacMillan Cancer Care but don’t know where to start. Who could help? 7. You are out for a social event and you offer to walk one of your students home, they say they are fine and you insist because it is a badly lit area. After protesting a lot, the student admits that they were kicked out of their accommodation for using drugs and are currently sofa-surfing. Who can help? 8. One of your students had decided to leave after 3 rd year and get a job, they have volunteered throughout university and had a part-time job as a carer. Who can help?
Tips for Starting a Conversation Starting and maintaining a conversation is a skill, one not all of us feel comfortable with, especially when we are feeling nervous or shy. As a PAL Student Leader, part of your job will be to help people feel comfortable and relaxed. The following are general tips:
Introduce yourself. For example, offer your name and ask for theirs if they don’t offer it. Perhaps say a little bit about yourself. Some people feel uncomfortable about introducing themselves straightaway; however, it helps to break the ice and makes the other person feel more comfortable. Open conversation with a topic of common interest or a non-threatening question. Ask ‘informational’ questions that will provide scaffolding on which the conversation may be built, and which may introduce a subject of interest to both. For example:
“Have you lived in other places?” “Have you been travelling outside this country?” “Where did you go during the holidays?”
Look at the person when speaking. Make sure you have eye contact, but don’t stare. Different cultures have different concepts about eye contact. Avoid doing other things when having a conversation, eg. sending and receiving text messages while talking with others. Show you are listening by following a comment with a further question or comment related to what they have just said, eg. “So you enjoyed travelling in Greece. What did you like about it?” Avoid asking one question after another, without having any input yourself. Instead, try to develop a ‘sharing’ relationship. Use questions and tone of voice that show you are genuinely interested in what the person is saying to you. Avoid asking ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions, such as “Do you like this?” “Do you live nearby?”
Types of Questions In effective listening, we use questions that encourage people to think for themselves, give them some space to reflect on what is important to them and help them to find solutions with the information they already have.
CLOSED Question asks for a specific answer, usually answered with ‘yes’, ‘no’ or a single word. They tend to shut down the dialogue between a speaker and listener, because the questions can be narrow and limiting, especially if several are asked in succession. Examples: “Do you like Brighton?” “Is your course interesting?” “Was your day fun?”
INFORMATIONAL Question requests factual details or information. They are important in helping us get information about a person, but too many can make the speaker feel he/she is being cross-examined, rather than being listened to. Examples: “Where do you live?” “What year were you born?” “When did you move here?” “What is your favourite subject in school?”
OPEN Question asks for general information. Encourages speaker to answer in the way he/she sees fit, with as much information as she/he is comfortable disclosing. These questions allow the speaker to explore in more depth what it is she/he wants to talk about. Examples: “What are you classes like?” “What did you do during your holiday?” “What do you think about the way Mr.Jones lectures?” “How do you think your parents will react to….?”
FEELING LEVEL Question asks how the person feels about a situation. It allows the speaker to talk about their feelings. It is an important question to be able to ask in a support situation, but it is probably the one people find hardest to ask. By asking feeling level questions, the listener communicates a willingness to hear about the speaker’s emotions.
Examples: “How did it feel when your parents wouldn’t let you go travelling?” “How does it feel when your friends make comments about the way you study?” “How are you feeling about the exams?”
CLARIFYING Question clarifies what the speaker is saying, asking him/her to say something more about what they have just said. Examples: “In what way?” “How so?” “Can you tell me more about…?”
QUESTIONS TO AVOID when talking about feelings/opinions/ personal preferences WHY Although ‘why’ questions may appear open, they often imply judgement. They can put people on the defensive and make them feel they have to rationalise their response. Examples: “Why didn’t you talk to your Personal Tutor?” “Why do you feel that way?”
CHOICE Questions that offer a choice can be limiting and may close down the conversation. Also, the choices we might give in a question might not be relevant to the person we are listening to. Examples: “Do you like tutorials? Or find them hard?” “Did you feel angry? Scared? Not sure?” “Is your housemate nice? Horrible?”
FILL-IN These questions come in after an open question, and limit what is being asked. Example: “What are you doing over the holidays? Are you going home? Seeing friends?”
Adapted from The Royal (Dick) Veterinary School Peer Support Handbook University of Edinburgh
The PAL Session: CONTENT
Attendance sheets Student-led groups Resources and back-up topics
Attendance sheets Circulate and retrieve from students and return to PALS Coordinator (Key Contact).
Student-led groups o Asking questions o Redirecting questions
Asking questions Key to encouraging discussion in the group is asking questions of your students that make them do the thinking and talking. Below is some general advice on the types of questions you might find useful to ask of students, to encourage communication within the group. Types of questions i. Probes The task of the PAL Leader is to help students to begin to process information beyond the superficial level of delivering the 'right' answer. Examples: “What makes you think that?” “Why do you think that?” “Can you tell me how you arrived at that answer?” ii.
Clarification Used when a student's answer is vague or unclear. The leader asks the student for meaning or more information. Examples: "What do you mean by…?" "Could you explain that in a little more detail?" "Can you be a bit clearer about that?"
"Anything else you would like to add?" "Can you be more specific?" "In what way?" iii.
Critical Awareness Used when the leader suspects the student does not fully understand or wants the student to reflect on an answer. Examples: "What are you assuming here?" "Could you give an example of that?" "How would you do that?" "Are you sure?" "What makes you think that?" "How have you come to that conclusion?"
iv.
Refocus Encourages the student to see a concept from another perspective by focusing on relationships. Examples: "How is that related to…?" "How does that tie into …?" "How does that compare with …?"
Redirecting Questions (How to effectively turn questions back to the group or How not to give answers) There will be times, especially in early sessions, when students will expect you to provide direct answers to their questions. There may be times when it is appropriate for you to answer questions, however, PAL sessions should be about discussion of ideas, and so students should be discouraged from taking the easy option of you telling them what they need to know. If the level of direct questioning becomes a problem, it may be worth reminding the group that a PAL session is NOT a tutorial, or lecture, and you are not a tutor. Try to keep your response light, perhaps by pointing out the potential unreliability of your response were you to give one!
General redirection questions Can anybody help X answer that question? Does anyone know the answer to that question? What do you think about that? What information would you need to answer that? Let's try and work that out together. Does anyone know the answer to that question? Can anyone find the answer to that in your notes? What do you think about that? How would you say that in a different way? What are we trying to find out? What do you need to do next? How did you do that? What do you mean by . . . ? Tell us more... What else did they do? Anything else? Can you be more specific? In what way? What are you assuming? Why would that be so? How can that be? How would you do that? Are you sure? Give an example of that. How is that related to . . . ? Can you summarize the discussion up to this point? How does your response tie into . . . ? If that is true, then what would happen if. . . ? What would ______ say about that? Let’s see if we can figure out how to answer it together. Can you think of another way to think about this? Would any of you like to add something to this answer? How is your answer (point of view) different from _______? How could we phrase that into a question to ask Dr. X next class? What do we need to know in order to solve the problem? Which words in the question do you not understand? Let’s rephrase it on the board and figure out what information we will need to answer it. Other useful process questions What is it? (i.e. definition) What is its purpose? (i.e. why) When would you use it? When have you done something like this before?
As long as there is lively discussion… The suggestions so far are ideas to help sessions run smoothly - don't worry too much about whether you are asking the perfect questions. Theory is all very well, but what is more important is that you and your students engage in lively and helpful discussion, that you and your students can enjoy. Adapted from Directing Discussion Back to the Group, SI leader handbook, Copyrights by The Curators of the University of Missouri, 2006.
Resources and back-up topics Here you will find a few suggestions for topics/activities for the PAL sessions. These are suggestions only; content should primarily be determined by student input. Note-taking and note review As a Student Leader, you could bring in some first-year lecture notes to be reviewed by the group. Each student could be asked to provide a summary. The group could then be put into pairs to compare summaries. In the large group, you could discuss whether the notes are effective, clear, unclear, a good aid to revision, etc, leading to a more general discussion about effective note-taking techniques and the importance of notes in revision. (This can be used in conjunction with ‘Making Notes’ – see below). Presentation practice In pairs, the group could be given a set of random cards with topics on them which have nothing to do with the course. Maybe give them a choice of 3 and tell them they have 5 minutes to prepare their ideas for a talk on a chosen topic (the virtue of this is that they don’t have to agonise about anything they feel they ought to know, and that everyone else is in the same boat – improvising at short notice!). Individual presentations could perhaps be organised for later on in the year if the students feel they would like practice. Quiz A quiz consisting of light-hearted short questions. The group could be put into two or more teams. Get each team to choose a name and these can be written up on the board. Ask each team to think of fifteen questions: ten of these to be course-related, five of then to be trivia. Each team then takes it in turn to ask the other a question. Score as follows: 3 points for a correct answer, 1 point if the question is far too difficult, 0 if they don’t know the answer! Your decision is final!
ďƒ˜ Referencing Tell students to check course guides for info on preferred referencing systems. 
The following sections, from the Bournemouth University guide, also cover topics that you may eventually discuss in the groups. They are intended, therefore, as reference material for preparation and informed discussion. - Learning from teaching - Solving problems - Developing good study habits - Making notes - Essay writing - Oral presentations - Revising for exams - Facilitation techniques you can use - What you can do in your PAL sessions - Working with your PAL group
The PAL Session: PARTICPATION
Encouraging participation Encouraging independent learning
As a PAL Leader, you are not a teacher. Your main role is to encourage active learning, to encourage students to participate in discussion.
Encouraging participation The following are some ways of encouraging participation: i. Ask open-ended questions The best questions are usually open-ended (that require more than a yes, no or short answer). Open-ended questions are better because they require students to provide lengthy and therefore more substantial responses. The more students talk, the better the Student Leader and other students are able to understand their ideas and thinking. ii. Encourage student verbalisation As discussed above, when students put their ideas into words it helps them to process information. Also, when a student verbalises an idea it helps their learning processes and encourages other students to share their ideas. iii. Wait for student responses It is important to train yourself to wait for student answers. Students may need time to think and gain confidence when asked a question. After a while they will usually respond with an answer or another question. Waiting for answers is a difficult but important skill – it can be very tempting to answer questions for students or jump in with another question or answer – learn to be patient and this will usually lead to better discussion and more group involvement. You should also wait for other students to comment after a member of the class has said something. Don’t immediately label an answer right or wrong – wait to see if other students have anything to add, and encourage them to do so. iv. Encourage student questions Student questions form the raw material for PAL sessions. Always ask if students have questions and offer plenty of time to answer. v. Redirect questions When asked a direct question, try to turn this back to the group. This is a useful skill to master as it means students have to think for themselves and don’t depend on the Leader for answers. It allows more students to participate
and students become more confident when able to provide answers for the group. Examples of redirection questions: “Who can answer that?” “Does someone want to answer that?” “Who can explain that?” vi. Place the emphasis on student ideas Always encourage students to share their thoughts, because students build new concepts upon their own ideas and new course material. vii. Use student ideas Students often have the correct ideas, it just takes time to put them together (and it is easier simply to be ‘told’). viii. Delayed positive reinforcement Remind students of correct ideas they have offered earlier. ix. Be a role model by using “I” statements yourself Reflecting on your first year experience and being open and direct with the group. If you don’t understand something or can’t remember, then say so. This will help students feel that you are involved as a participant. x. Give permission to acknowledge fears and anxieties Reassure the group that some parts of the course are difficult and will probably take some time and effort to understand. xi. Avoid interrupting student answers PAL should be a safe and comfortable environment for students to try things out, attempt answers and make mistakes. Remember it is often from making mistakes that our best learning comes about. xii. Use small group/ pair work If your group is more than 15 students it is useful to divide into subgroups and encourage them to find an issue they wish to explore. You can then move between groups to challenge and offer support and encouragement. xiii. Get students to use the whiteboard Physical activity helps prevent students being too passive or bored. It also encourages students to talk to one another. xiv. Use positive reinforcement This can have a positive effect on learning and confidence. Examples of positive reinforcement include offering praise for an answer (even if not correct), using a posture of interest and concern, maintaining eye contact, smiling and nodding and making positive comments
xv. Use students’ names Using students’ names can help you and your students to feel more comfortable and increase student participation. You can make use of the attendance sheet if you cannot remember names easily. xvi. Repeat student responses This can act as positive reinforcement, to summarise or clarify comments and enable others to hear comments.
Encouraging Independent Learning Many students need to learn how to study material effectively and to use their time wisely. Their course handbook will contain aims, objectives, and/or learning outcomes. Each of these will give an indication of what the student is expected to learn and achieve. The students can use these and any other course documents as a guide to what to learn. They will also need to discover various ways to find answers to questions. i.
Emphasise the importance of text books and their notes. It is all too easy for students to bury their lecture notes away and not look at books until they really have to.
ii.
Encourage independent effort.
iii.
Discuss essay strategies, exam strategies and study skills. Offer advice and lead discussion on ideas of appropriate ways to prepare for and write essays, revise for and approach exams. Get the group to discuss note taking techniques.
Encourage students to learn from assessment. Marking criteria provided in course guidelines can be an important source of information. It can also be pointed out that tutor’s comments are important – when a student receives a returned piece of work and does no more than look at the mark before stuffing it in their bag, they are missing an important source of information about how they might improve. Assessment is not just about getting marks. It’s also about learning what to do next time! Encourage students to always be reflective in their work and not just to seek feedback when things have not gone quite right. Seeking feedback as to WHY students do well is just as important.
The PAL session: REVIEW Session review form Session review forms are included for your information (next page). Student Leaders should complete some form of feedback after every PAL session. This is helpful for improving the PALS as a whole and also for personal reflection.
Dealing with Difficult Incidents Difficult incidents do not happen often, but it is better to be prepared as far as possible should something occur during your session. We have tried to cover the most likely occurrences here, but the unexpected can always happen! If in doubt, a good rule of thumb is: never try to bluff. If you don’t know something, say that you will find out and come back next week with a response. If you are not sure whether a request or question is appropriate, don’t be pushed into making a response on the spot. Check with the PALS Coordinator (Key Contact), you will have their number so do call if something particularly tricky comes up. Practical Arrangements
Printing/photocopies
If you wish to photocopy materials for use in your PALs session, please contact your PALS Coordinator (Key Contact) and they will arrange for copies to be made. {Please remember to give sufficient notice of your requirements)
Student Leader Evaluation Form Name: Email: 1.How many attended the Session:
2.What was the Session plan:
3.Was anything else covered:
4. What worked well:
5.Suggestions for improvements:
6.Further Reflective Comment:
Managing Group Dynamics Each of these situations has actually occurred in an PAL session. As a PAL Leader, what would you do? What variables could affect your choice of actions? Situation #1: You are conducting a session, and become “stumped� by questions raised by the group. You are floundering for a response to the problem. What could you do? Situation #2: Your session lapses into a question-and answer format. You realize that you are directing responses to the group and the student participants are responding directly to you. There is no student-to-student interaction. What could you do immediately? In the future? Situation #3: A student who has never attended SI is dominating the discussion. The student insists that you, not a classmate, answer questions about a concept discussed the week before. You are becoming flustered; the regular attendees are becoming angry, and the dominating student is suggesting that PAL is a waste of time. What would you do? Situation #4: You notice that several medical students are rolling their eyes whenever nursing students ask questions. How will you deal with this situation? Situation #5: You notice that the instructor of the class makes mistakes in the lecture. What would you do? What would you do if the instructor is not open to constructive criticism? Situation #6: It seems that a group of students in the class lack the prerequisite background for the course. Are there any steps that you can take to help with this situation? Situation #7: Someone in the session makes a racial comment. What should you do? Situation #8: What if only one student comes to your session? Situation #9: You forgot your planning sheet. How will you lead the session? Situation #10: You arrived early and arranged the chairs in a circle. Several students sit outside the circle. How can you get everyone together?
Promoting PALS Can you come up with any good strategies for promoting the scheme and communicating its value to students?
Driving and Restraining Forces Towards and against your goal Driving forces
Restraining forces
PALS Student Leader Code of Practice (Peer Assisted Learning Scheme) I agree to comply with the terms of the University of Edinburgh/EUSA PALS Student Leader Code of Practice, as a condition of my voluntary role as a Student Leader. STUDENT LEADER CODE OF PRACTICE As a Student Leader, I will: Attend all PALs training sessions and Student Leader meetings. Attend all weekly PALs sessions timetabled for my group. Give the PALs Key Contact at least 48 hours notice of planned and agreed absence, and reasonable notice of sickness/other unavoidable absence. Collect records of attendance from students and submit them to the PALs Coordinator for the purpose of evaluation. Contribute to the promotion and advertisement of PALs to first year students and prospective students as reasonably required. Observe the requirements of the Code of Practice for Student Leaders. CONFIDENTIALITY (See Code of Confidentiality for detailed information) 5. The particular content of PALs sessions is confidential to those within the group. 6. PALs group members must have confidence that their discussions and individual contributions to sessions will not be repeated outside the group. 7. However, in order to protect members from accusations of plagiarism, and to ensure that sessions are conducted appropriately, Student Leaders are required to maintain a record of the discussion topics from each session. 8. Student Leaders may also raise concerns expressed by students in their groups. No individual student should be identified or identifiable in the course of these discussions. STUDENT CONTACT Contact with group members will at all times be professional and appropriate to the role of Student Leader: 6. Student Leaders and students will treat each other with respect and courtesy at all times. 7. Student Leaders will advise the Key Contact if a member of his/her group is, or becomes, known to them as a friend outside the context of
the group. In these circumstances it is recommended that it would be in the interests of both if the student moves to another group. 8. No personal information, i.e. phone or address will be exchanged or requested from students within the context of the group. Email contact will be made via the student university mail system. 9. We do not recommend you ‘friend’ a member of your group on Facebook, however if you do decide to do this please follow the guidance in the Code of Confidentiality 10. If a student in the group raises a welfare concern about him/herself or another, or requests an individual meeting outside the group, Student Leaders will advise them to contact the appropriate service within the university, and tell the Key Contact that such a request was made. Student Leaders will immediately advise the student that such discussions are not part of their role. Student Leaders will not engage in discussion of the problem, both for their protection, and that of the student concerned. SESSION CONTENT Student Leaders are not Tutors or Lecturers No information or advice regarding academic subject content will be given by Student Leaders. Sessions will not include discussion of assessment topic or content. Students asking questions relating to academic content will be referred back to the students’ course tutors and lecturers. Student Leaders should discourage students from treating PALs as a substitute for attending classes. I agree to abide by the terms of the above Code while volunteering as a Student Leader for the PALs Scheme. Student Leader Signature: Signed……………………………………………………………………………. Name Printed………………………………………………………………… Email Address……………………………………………………………………….. School……………………………………………………………………………….. Date……………………………………………………………………………….. Coordinator Signature……………………………………………………