Academic Difficulty

Identifying the Problem:

A student in academic difficulty may come to your attention in a number of different ways such as a student coming to your office hours complaining about difficulty with course content, your sending out a mid-semester warning to a student, or your becoming aware that the performance of an otherwise good student is dropping markedly.

Before assuming that a student does not care about how he or she is performing academically, keep in mind that there are many causes of academic difficulty including:

• Difficulty with course material

• Low motivation

• Diagnosed or undiagnosed disability issues (Attention Deficit Disorder, Learning Disability)

• Fatigue from life pressures or lifestyle (long work hours, excessive partying)

• Mental health concerns (depression, anxiety, etc.)

• Family or personal concerns interfering with concentration

How to Respond:

While it is nice if a student initiates a conversation with you about academic difficulties, many students appreciate an instructor taking the initiative to express concerns to a student. Basic statements such as "I notice you did not do well on your last test" or "It looks like this class is not going so well for you. Would you like to come to office hours and discuss how things might go better for you in this class?" can help begin a dialogue with the student. Faculty may be able to help a student with content-related difficulty. The resources below can assist students in improving general academic skills.

University Resources:

1. Sweetland Writing Center: 764-0429

2. English Language Institute (ELI): 764-2413

3. Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD): 763-3000

4. The University of Michigan Psychological Clinic: 764-3471

5. University Center for the Development of Language and Literacy (UCLL): 764-8440