The Student Learning Support (SLS) provides on-site academic services/programmes for all Samoa-based students in all modes and levels of study. The SLS services are aimed at equipping students with the right academic skills to enable them to succeed in their studies, enjoy their learning and develop into self-motivating, critical thinking and competent life-long learners.

The following are SLS Services for students:

• ELSA (English Language Skills Assessment): an online diagnostic test for all first year degree students.
• EL001 (English Language Skills): an online course for those whose ELSA band score is 4 or below.
• Drop-In consultations: daily unscheduled meetings with SLS where students’ problems are solved.
• Academic & Study Skills workshops: daily on the 4 modes of English and on (life) study skills.
• P.A.S.S (Peer Assisted Study Sessions): 1-hour long sessions held 4 times a week, led by a high achieving senior student (PASS Leader) who aced a course in the past but now working with students struggling with the same course.
• Global Communication: informal 1-hour conversations between native English speaking Alafua-based students from countries beyond the Pacific, and students who are non-native speakers of English. The purpose is for the non-native speakers of English to gain exposure to others ways of speaking English and other worldviews.
• UU1114: The Student Learning Specialist is responsible for teaching UU114 on the campus.
• Online SLS assistance: online assistance for those who cannot be physically present at the SLS hub, through this email: niseta.buatava@usp.ac.fj
• Editing: editing assignments for grammatical errors only and not for content.
• Tailored (requested) workshops: workshops tailored to needs of a particular class area of study.
• Debate: this boosts students’ communication abilities while arguing local and global issues.

Downloadable free resources on the various academic skills.

Study Skills

• Study Skills
• Weekly Schedule Planner
• Course Work Planner
• Preparing for Exams
• Taking Exams

Writing

• Abstracts
• Annotated bibliography
• Assignment Writing
• Connectives
• Direction Words
• Essay Writing
• Identifying Main Ideas
• Punctuation
• Reporting Verbs
• Proofreading
• Research Proposal
• Research Report
• Literature Review
• Using References

Reading

• Active Reading
• Critical Reading
• Speed Reading

Speaking

• Seminar Presentations

Listening

• Listening to Lectures & Taking Notes

Ms. Niseta Buatava | Student Learning Specialist | Tel: (+685) 21672 Ext 314 | Email: niseta.buatava@usp.ac.fj