About Us
What is Supplemental Instruction?
Supplemental Instruction (SI) is an academic assistance program that helps improve
students’ grades and helps 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. Assistance is delivered by SI Leaders.
Who are the SI Leaders?
The SI Leaders are model students who have taken the class and earned an A or B. All SI leaders take part in an intensive two-day training session before the beginning of each semester. The training covers topics such as how students learn as well as strategies aimed at strengthening student academic performance and incorporating study skills into sessions to help learners become better students throughout their academic career. The SI Leaders attend all lectures for the designated section, take notes, read all assigned materials and provide regularly scheduled review sessions. Many courses have a 50-minute block after each class built into your schedule, so you will have time to attend.
How does it work?
Assistance begins at the beginning of the semester. During the first class session, the SI Leader describes the SI program and surveys the class to establish a schedule for SI study times that will be convenient for 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 either before or after class.
How do the SI sessions help students?
In the sessions students review information covered in lecture and assigned readings and the SI leader will integrate how-to-learn with what-to-learn. Students who attend SI sessions learn study strategies such as note taking, graphic organization, questioning techniques, vocabulary acquisition, and test preparation.
You will have the opportunity to become actively involved in the course material because the SI leaders use the text, supplementary readings, and lecture notes to help you pass the class.
