Monash College Intervention Strategy - Procedures

Title of Parent Policy

Monash College Intervention Strategy - Policy

Title of Supporting Procedures

Preamble

These procedures outline intervention strategies for students at risk of not meeting satisfactory course progress requirements, or of meeting their academic potential.

The procedures specify:

procedures for contacting and counselling identified students;
strategies to assist identified students to achieve satisfactory course progress; and
the process by which the intervention strategy is activated.

Procedures

Identification of at-risk students

At-risk students are addressed through a number of intervention strategies. Students are categorised as being at-risk if they:

Have failed half or more of their units in a given trimester; and/or
Have failed the same unit twice;
Demonstrate difficulty with set diagnostic assessment pieces early in each trimester.

Intervention can also be triggered through a student’s referral from the individuals below:

A Field of Study Manager;
A Program Coordinator;
A Teacher;
A Student Advisor;
A Learning Advisor; and/or
The student themselves.

Training of Teachers

Through the professional development program, teachers will be trained to identify and remediate learning difficulties faced by students.

Activation of Intervention Strategies

At-risk students are referred to a designated Learning Advisor who will work with the student to develop a Learning Plan which will include one or more of the following strategies. This list of strategies will be added to throughout the life of this policy, as recommendations from Learning + are implemented. The Learning Plan will be forwarded to the Student Administration Team for inclusion in the student’s file.

Strategies to assist students to achieve satisfactory course progress:

Academic skills support

Students will be given individual and/or group instruction on organisation and planning skills, goal setting, note-taking, paraphrasing and summarising skills, research skills, referencing, revision techniques and exam strategies. The number and timing of sessions will be determined by student need.

Additional English support

Students deemed in need of English support will be linked to Learning Support Staff in the Learning Commons. Sessions will be individual and/or small group based on need. They will be run weekly with extra sessions on demand.

Additional tutoring/study groups

Each Field of Study Manager will arrange additional tutoring and subject-specific workshops based on need. Learning Advisors will work in consultation with Field of Study Managers and teachers to organise, and where appropriate, run these workshops. Student attendance will be tracked.

Increased monitoring

As well as the monitoring of attendance by the Student Administration Team, teachers and Field of Study Managers will conduct audits of at-risk students early every trimester and make referrals to the appropriate support personnel. Students who have a history of low academic performance will be contacted by Learning Advisors in the first 2 to 3 weeks of each trimester to maintain support links and provide proactive advice.

Personal counselling

Students with non-academic issues will be referred to the Student Life team for assistance. They will be offered help and advice on accommodation, relationships, financial, course and personal advice as needed.

Reduction in course load

Students deemed at-risk of failing will be reviewed by the Academic Progress Committee and, where appropriate, be given the option of under-loading. This will be done in consultation with class teachers, Field of Study Managers and Learning and Student Advisors in accord with the Monash College Underload Policy.

Placement in a more appropriate class

Based on feedback from students and consultation with teachers and Field of Study Managers, students may be placed in a more appropriate class.