Center provides learning assistance

Jason Davies, 20, a business major at Cal State Long Beach, says he had a difficult time passing History 173 last semester. Davies had heard from a friend that he could easily receive an A in the course, but soon realized his friend was wrong.

"The course seemed easy at first but then the reading assignments started piling on, I fell behind and then it was too much information to memorize," Davies says.

As the semester continued, his grade dropped below average. According to Davies, he was clueless as to how he was going to quickly improve his grade. He then visited the Learning Assistance Center on campus.

"After I attended a test-taking workshop at the Learning Center, I raised my grade almost two letter grades higher," Davies says.

The Learning Assistance Center is located in the Library East Building in Room 12 and is open Monday and Tuesday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is closed Fridays.

"The Learning Assistance Center helps students become more academically successful when using the effective strategies we have to offer," says Dr. Gen Ramirez, director of learning skills and needs assessment at the CSULB Learning Assistance Center.

Beginning Feb. 3, the Center will conduct various learning skills workshops including time management, reading textbooks critically, memory-exam techniques, listening and note-taking, preparing research papers and planning for finals. The workshop schedule will be announced in the Daily Forty-Niner.

Ramirez said the center is concerned with helping students get set up for the semester. These workshops are designed to aid students by using study strategies for difficult course material. Individual study skills are also available.

"The student is not weak, it's that some historically difficult courses present hard material," Ramirez said. "If students realize they need assistance in a course, they are encouraged to register their need early on and obtain the services provided by the Learning Center."

The Center also provides supplemental instruction for certain courses which are listed in the schedule of classes. These courses are a combination of critical analysis skills and the understanding of course content.

Another service provided by the Center is the International Students Conversational Lab. This service enables students to work with tutors on improving their oral fluency in English. Specific hours are posted each week. The schedule can be obtained at the front desk in the Learning Center.

Dr. Ramirez said some group options for certain classes may not be available and in that case the center could provide a learning skills specialist or request a private tutor for a fee. The tutors are trained and supervised by the Center.

"The Center recommends students use the helpful free services provided before making arrangements for a private tutor," Dr. Ramirez says.

For more information or appointments one may call the Learning Assistance Center at 985-5350.