RNID: For deaf and hard of hearing people.

Language tuition can help you improve your English language skills. A language tutor can assist with the understanding and production of written text, help improve your grammar, punctuation and structure of written English, help with essay-writing and study skills and provide additional advice regarding the writing of assignments.

Language tutors work with the student, not for the student.  Their role is to help students prepare for assignments – i.e. checking comprehension of the task and the understanding of written materials, assisting with planning/organisation of projects, the structure of essays etc.

  • To advise students about the presentation of written, signed or spoken work.
  • To modify the language of course material to facilitate access to texts.
  • To modify the language of examinations and assignment briefs where appropriate.

Tips for working with a language tutor:

  • Discuss with your tutor what you need from a language support session.
  • Arrange the tutorials on a regular basis.  They should not be booked as a ‘one off’ arrangement just before an assignment has to be handed in.
  • Use tutorial times effectively.  If you are not working on a particular assignment you should be prepared to go through course notes or chapters in books. 

You should: 

  • Book any rooms necessary for the tutorial.
  • Arrive on time. 
  • Inform your tutor if you are unable to attend a session.

Be aware - it is not the language support tutor’s role to write/rewrite essays for you, do research or collect material for you or to correct your work if it is factually incorrect – this is the role of your subject tutor.