HOW SHOULD YOU USE THE A-LEC?
Most SMU students find that the transition from high school to university-level work involves a major "shifting of gears." It's not just that you have to study more, but that you need to study differently. It's part of the job of a good university to ask you, and push you, to make this shift. But--as with learning to swim, to ride a bicycle, to write, or to talk--you need some practice to get the hang of it, and the transition period can be somewhat uncomfortable. Working with the A-LEC can be a great way to get through this transition as quickly and fully as possible.
Students work with us in many ways, but these ways fall into two broad groups: those that focus on general study skills, reading skills, and techniques for note-taking and test-taking, and those that address the academic content of specific courses. Our experience is that, in general, students are more likely to need the first kind of support and more likely to think they need the second. We offer plenty of both, so you can find out for yourself what helps the most.
ORACLE ( Optimum Reading, Attention, Comprehension, and Learning Efficiency) is a one-credit course in reading and study skills at the university level. ORACLE meets for the first twelve weeks of the semester (fall or spring); at the end of the term, you get a little extra free time when you may be busiest with your other courses. In one student's description, "it was like turning my brain all the way on for the first time." In addition, A-LEC staff offer workshops that help you tune up study skills that relate to particular needs. As a follow-up, students may also schedule personal appointments with A-LEC staff to look at how they may best handle their particular challenges in these areas. We suggest that you stop by to take the LASSI, a short computerized assessment of the present state of your study skills. Then we will be able to talk with you more specifically about how you might benefit most from our program. For best results, call 768-3648 for an appointment.
The Writing Center offers 30-minute appointments with faculty members who also teach in SMU's first-year writing program.
Tutoring is offered for a wide range of undergraduate courses, concentrating especially on the first- and second-year courses that may become either your gateways to the various academic disciplines or the barriers that keep you out. In the past, we have required students to begin work with LEC tutoring by scheduling a personal meeting with an LEC staff member. This year we have decided to rely on our website as the primary source of information on how to use the LEC--but you are still welcome to meet with Ben Thomas or Vicki Hill if you would like to explore more individualized questions relating to tutoring. (To set up such a meeting, call 768-3648 and make an appointment.)
All A-LEC activities during the fall and spring terms are free of charge for SMU undergraduates enrolled as full-time students.
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