Introduction
Learning Skills is a service offered to all Central students throughout the academic year.
As part of your studies you will be looking to develop a range of academic skills that will assist you in achieving your best at Central. This is where the Learning Skills programme comes in. We are an academic team of learning developers specialising in a range of disciplines, including research skills, time management, academic writing, and English for academic purpose (to name a few).
The Learning Skills ethos is firmly centered on strengthening the student’s independent learning identities so that you can use the tools and learning that we offer to approach your course and assessments proactively.
Learning Skills Programme
The Learning Skills programme offers a range of interactive sessions under the following themes:
- Academic Writing/ Structuring
- Critical Thinking
- Research Skills
- Academic Learning Development for International Students
- Returning to Study
- Technology Enhanced Learning
- Organisation and Time Management
- Presentation Skills
- Managing Academic Stress
As a student at Central you can access the following styles of learning development face to face or remotely via the Learning Skills programme.
- Generic one to ones (offered remotely, or face-to-face)
- Academic Staff referred specialist one to one (offered remotely, or face-to-face)
- Staff booked In-Timetable sessions
- Wellbeing referred one to ones
- Unaccredited Short Courses
- Group Sessions
- Dedicated provision for International Students
- Learning Materials on BRIGHTSPACE
Student Testimonials
The tutor was extremely helpful in talking through the overall argument of my thesis as well as focusing specifically on the chapter at hand. We began to make a plan for the successful execution of this reworked chapter.
Very clear and informative. There was time to catch up with everything that was going on and we weren’t overloaded with information either!
Relaxed environment! Learning Skills was welcoming, engaging and non judgmental which helped to make me feel comfortable. It offered lots of really useful tips and used various resources i.e. PowerPoint presentations and online sites. I was reassured that all my questions were valid
Learning Skills takes the time to understand individual needs and do their best to support as specifically as they can. Learning Skills has been very approachable and promptly provided support
Meet the Team
Javeria Khadija Shah is an experienced educator, interdisciplinary academic, avant-garde artist, and founder of the Social Performance Network.
Riadh Ghemmour is an educator and researcher working predominately in the field of education studies.
Visiting Lecturers
Biography
Helen is an award-winning Senior Lecturer in Education in the Academic Enhancement Department at The University of Law, External Examiner with The University of West London, Editor-in-Chief with SAGE Publications Ltd. for sections of the online resource Student Success and Visiting Lecturer with The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in the Learning Skills Programme.
Helen gained her first degree at Durham University in 1999, Postgraduate Certificate in Social Research Methods in 2005, Master of Science in Social Research Methods in 2006, both at Teesside University, Professional Graduate Certificate in Education – Post-compulsory Education and Training in the lifelong learning sector/Higher Education in 2011 and is currently studying a PhD at the University of York.
Helen started lecturing in 2010 at Chester University and is a Senior Lecturer in Education in the Academic Enhancement Department with the University of Law (2023) where she supports students, leading and supporting teaching and various other initiatives.
Helen is a keen researcher with research interests directed by her academic profile. Two primary focus subjects are innovative ways of teaching research methods, and her PhD topic which is related to changing policies and procedures in Higher Education regarding boundary blurring behaviours and the subsequent impact on student retention and engagement.
Helen has published on academic writing, preparing for university, research methods and other student reference texts. She has also created global online resources empowering students to develop, and practice, the skills needed to transition into, and thrive in, academia.
Biography
Andrew is a writer and educator. He has taught writing and academic skills to students at all levels of education from secondary to HE for over 25 years. He has spent the last 15 years working exclusively in HE Learning Development, in both academic and professional staff roles. He is particularly interested in the craft and process of writing. His first book, Beat Your Writer’s Block (Sage, 2020), gives students practical strategies to deal with writing anxiety and other writing-related problems. He also contributed to Sage Skills Student Success, an interactive resource for students. Andrew’s second book for Sage - ‘How to be Good at Academic Writing’ - is forthcoming.
Andrew is also an active comics scholar and his book on the life and work of writer Grant Morrison is forthcoming from the University Press of Mississippi’s Biographix series. His PhD thesis focused on intertextuality and gender in the work of Alan Moore (University of Wales, 2018). He has also published articles and reviews about comics for academic and mainstream press publications. He lives in North Wales.
Biography
After graduating with a 2:1 in Social Sciences from the University of Bristol, Sarah completed her Ph.D. in the Sociology Department of the London School of Economics. She has taught at what is now the University of Chichester and went on to provide learning support for students at Birkbeck College, University of London.
she has PGCE in Adult Education from the Institute of Education. She now works in Learning Skills at RCSSD, providing learning support for individual students and student groups.
Biography
Senthila is an award-winning higher education specialist who combines her scientific background with her passion for learning and development to create successful students. She is a graduate of Queen Mary University of London who earned her PhD from King’s College London and holds an MA in Education from Brunel University London. With over 14 years of experience in lecturing, training, advising, researching and coaching in the UK higher education sector and abroad, Senthila brings diverse perspectives to engage, develop and inspire students at the Central School of Speech and Drama, where she is affiliated with the Learning Skills team as a Visiting Lecturer.
Biography
Dr Simon Strange is a multidimensional creative, spanning the academic and creative industries, a trombone player, music producer, photographer and socio-cultural academic. Simon has performed around the world and curates the Sidmouth international Jazz and Blues Festival.
Current employment centres around the role of Research Programme Manager at Bath Spa University, overseeing an AHRC funded project related to the concept of story. He leads a team who are exploring the use of Story Skills within a range of organisations. Simon has also created a doctoral programme based on untangling philosophy and methodology elements for PhD students.
His first book, Blank Canvas, based on pedagogical connections between UK art schools and popular music was released by Intellect Publishing in 2022, looking at the creative connection between art and music. Postdoctoral research orbits around the concept of scenius, exploring how collective creativity developed within a range of popular music scenes including hip hop, jungle and jazz. Simon has written articles for the Journal of Popular Music Education as well as presenting at various conferences within the IASPM, KISMIF and Punk Scholars Network networks.
Biography
Robert is an experienced Academic Literacies practitioner, focusing on Art(s) & Design academic writing. He has previously taught at a number of UK universities, including Goldsmiths, University of London & UAL. He works with students on a wide range of Academic Writing & Research Practice topics, including planning assignments, considerations of organisation & structure, making lexical choices, incorporating evidence into writing and developing an academic voice. He also enjoys working with students on reflective & reflexive practice as a means to understanding how the implications of their learnings can impact the broader context in which they work.
Robert holds Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy as well as an MA in Applied Linguistics and a PGCert in Academic Practice. He is currently writing his dissertation for a Research Master’s into identity and belonging of student minority voice experience in academic writing practice.
His interests lie in the intersections and liminalities of student academic voice and student agency in terms of JEDI (justice, equality, diversity, inclusion).
Related links
The student experience and a collaborative approach to learning are at the centre of Central’s mission; we aim to support all our students to become employable and successful in their careers. All our academic staff are dedicated to high quality teaching and research, and are experts in their own fields, bringing a wealth of industry experience.
Presented by Central's Learning Skills Programme. A model of learning, teaching, and creative practice, which will aim to desegregate and include Black excellence and contribution, past, present, and future, in collaboration with artists, emerging scholars, activists, educators, and public intellectuals all year, every year under the ethos that Black history is made every day.
