SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION

What is Supplemental Instruction?

Supplemental Instruction (SI) is an academic assistance program that can help improve students’ grades and help them get more out of their classes. The SI program targets traditionally difficult academic courses—those that have a high rate of D or F grades and withdrawals. Academic assistance is delivered by SI Leaders.

Who are the SI Leaders?

The SI Leaders are model students who have demonstrated competence in the subject and who present an appropriate model of thinking, organization and mastery of the discipline. All SI 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, data collection and management details. The SI Leaders attends all classes for the designated section, take notes, read all assigned materials and provides regularly scheduled out-of-class review sessions. They are also responsible for collecting data to evaluate the program.

 How does it work?

Assistance begins at the beginning of the semester. During the first class session, the SI Leader describes SI and surveys the class to establish a schedule for SI that will be convenient for most students who show interest. From these surveys, the SI Leader schedules three or more SI sessions per week.  SI sessions normally occur in classrooms near the course classroom instead of in a learning center.

SI sessions are open to all students in the course and are attended on a voluntary basis. SI sessions are comprised of students of varying abilities and no effort is made to segregate students based on academic ability.

How do the SI sessions help students?

As they review content materials, SI sessions also integrate how-to-learn with what-to-learn. Students who attend SI sessions discover appropriate application of study strategies, e.g. note taking, graphic organization, questioning techniques, vocabulary acquisition, and test preparation.

Students have the opportunity to become actively involved in the course material as the SI leaders use the text, supplementary readings, and lecture notes as the vehicle for learning skill instruction.

Research indicates SI students earn higher course grades and withdraw less often than non-SI participants. Also, data demonstrate higher reenrollment and graduation rates.

Which classes have SI and how can one enroll in a class with SI?

These courses are  identified in the course schedule as having SI attached. If a student is interested, he/she should inform the advisor or simply register for one of the above sections.