ADSHE Quality Assurance Pilot Scheme for dyslexia specialist 1:1 tutors in Higher Educ ation

Background to the pilot

Specialist 1:1 tutors are not currently audited or supervised as most other professionals are. The ADSHE Quality Assurance pilot is a way to professionalise the support provided by dyslexia specialist tutors and to set out clear guidelines as to what should be expected from dyslexia specialist 1:1support. See appendix for information about the nature of dyslexia 1:1 support and ADSHE principles.

SFE, as one of the main funding providers for 1:1 tuition, has been consulted and supports ADSE’sproposals. Preliminary talks with other stakeholders, including a variety of dyslexia professional bodies have already taken place. It is ADSHE’s intention to work closely with various dyslexia professionals to ensure a unified approach towards setting and maintaining professional standards across the sector. SFE have recently recruited commissioned researchers to scrutinise the non-medical helpers’ provision for all disabled students and we are working closely with them.

It is proposed that an ADSHE register of dyslexia specialist tutors will be set up. This professional register will demonstrate that all ADSHE tutors adhere to ADSHE principles and its Code of Ethics, are suitably qualified, and have undertaken to engage in continuing professional development on a regular basis. This register is a way of demonstrating that ADSHE tutors are of the highest quality. ADSHE tutors choosing to go on the ADSHE list are showing that they are fully committed to maintaining the highest professional standard in their work and evaluating their practice in a regular way. The QA procedures they are choosing to engage with are not only accountable and transparent but also consistent, thus ensuring best practice across the HEI sector.

ADSHE is intending to pilot a self-audit tool for specialist 1:1 tutors and a peer supervision scheme during the academic autumn term of 2011-12 and, after revisions, and executive ratification, introduce the scheme in 2012. The intention is to develop a flexible tool that is appropriate to both institutions and freelance tutors. It is hoped that institutions and individuals will be willing to pilot both the self-audit tool and the professional peer supervision programme but if they are able to pilotonly one their input will still be very valuable.

The ADSHE register

To be included on the ADSHE accredited dyslexia tutor list a specialist tutor will:

  • Be a member of ADSHE
  • Sign up to ADSHE’s Code of Ethics
  • Undertake to complete a self-regulated CPD programme[1], including completion of the self-audit tool
  • Submit log of CPD activity to ADSHE
  • Agree to participate in a minimum agreed number of professional supervision sessions– submit log as evidence

Estimated time commitment for self-pilot tool for institutions

  1. Dyslexia tutors within institutions can work through the tool either individually, in pairs or in teams (either within institutions or within partner institutions/ADSHE regional groups).

approx. 2 hours

  1. The Dyslexia Co-ordinator (or equivalent) will meet (or virtually meet) with the chair (or representative) of the ADSHE Quality Assurance Working Party

approx 1 – 2 hours

  1. The Dyslexia Co-ordinator (or equivalent) looks at the responses and the tutors’ identified training needs and decides on a programme as appropriate to the institution and as part of usual institutional policy.

Estimated 3 hours (depending on numbers of tutors involved)

  1. Complete a mini-report or questionnaire. This is completed to provide to ADSHEwith feedback about the process to inform the revision of the tool. For example,How useful was the tool? How did the tutors feel about completing it? How was the tool administered? How could this process be improved?

Estimated time commitment for self-pilot tool for individuals

  1. Individuals can work through the tool either on their own or with a colleague(either within institutions or within partner institutions/ADSHE regional groups). The dyslexia tutor assesses his/her own training needs.

approx. 2 hours

  1. Individuals meet (or virtually meet) with the chair (or representative) of the ADSHE Quality AssuranceWorking Party

approx 1 – 2 hours

  1. A mini-report or feedback questionnaire is completed and provided to ADSHE about the process to inform the revision of the tool. E.g. How useful was it? How did the tutors feel about completing it? How could it be improved?

Estimated 1 – 2 ho

Estimated time commitment for professional peer supervision pilot within institutions or ADSHE regional groups

  1. Attendance at ADSHE supervision training day –

1 member for 1 day (exact timing tbc)

ADSHE will not charge for this pilot supervision training.

  1. Dissemination to team/s

1 – 2 hour meeting

  1. Implementation of peer supervision programme, tailored to individual and institutional needs. The institution/team will need to agree on the number of sessions appropriate per year of face-to-face and alternative forms of professional peer supervision.

Timing will be dependent on individual and institutional needs

  1. Mini-report feedback to ADSHE on the format of the supervision agreed on and how successful it has been.

approx. 1 -2 hour

[1]It is anticipated that in some cases when dyslexia specialists are both tutors and assessors there would be overlap between ADSHE and Patoss requirements– it would be acceptable to record the same CPD activities for both.