Supplemental Instruction
Student FAQ
For any additional questions that may not be answered by this page, please feel free to contact the SI Coordinator at taylor.r.johnson@utah.edu.
SI is a group-focused academic support service designed to assist students who are enrolled in historically difficult classes. SI Leaders are students who have taken the class and received an A or a B, and have been trained by the Learning Center to facilitate learning. SI Leaders facilitate two 60-minute group review sessions each week outside of normal class time to help students deepen their understanding of course material. Attendance is optional but highly encouraged.
SI Leaders also attend the course they support to ensure that their SI sessions reflect what the students are learning in class each week. They will make announcements on the course Canvas page about SI, and can answer content-related questions that students send to them.
SI Leaders will make an announcement on the first day of classes, and some professors may include a statement regarding SI in their course syllabus.
Starting the second week of classes, you can view the full list of courses supported by SI.
| Supplemental Instruction (SI) Leader | Learning Center Tutor | Teaching Assistant (TA) | Learning Assistant (LA) | |
| What is it? | Supplemental Instruction (SI) is a group-focused academic support service designed to help students review course content and develop transferable study skills. | Tutoring offers individual assistance with learning and reviewing course material. | Teaching Assistants (TAs) provide support to the course by teaching, grading, and holding office hours to answer student questions. | Learning Assistants (LAs) support an instructor by leading discussion or lab sections of a course, holding study halls for students to work on assignments, and creating discussion posts on Canvas to help students share their thoughts with each other. |
| Who is it? |
An SI Leader is a student who has taken the course and received an A or B grade. They will attend the lecture alongside the students to ensure that their SI sessions are aligned with the course material. SI Leaders are trained by the Learning Center following the International Center for Supplemental Instruction standards to effectively plan and facilitate SI sessions. |
A tutor is a student who has taken the course previously and works with students individually. Tutors are trained by the Learning Center following the College Reading and Learning Association standards to identify the best ways to support students based on their unique, individual needs.
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TAs are students selected by the instructor. They have a deep understanding of course content and may teach or lecture in place of the instructor. They also host office hours where they can provide individual support for students. | LAs are students selected by the instructor. They have completed a course regarding the facilitation of group discussions and various teaching styles. |
| How does it work? |
SI Leaders facilitate two 60-minute group review sessions each week outside of class. SI Leaders facilitate SI sessions by planning activities designed to help students review course material, learn transferable study skills, and collaborate with each other to deepen their understanding of difficult concepts. SI Leaders do not
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Students can schedule a 30- or 60- minute appointment with a tutor on the Learning Center’s website. Tutors are available to meet with students in-person in the Marriott Library or online via Zoom. | TAs work closely with the instructor to determine when they may lead the in-class lecture or hold office hours. | LAs are assigned to a specific discussion or lab section and will facilitate group discussions or lab tasks. |
Yes! While SI Leaders are assigned to a specific course, all students taking that course are allowed to attend their SI sessions. For example, if you’re in a MATH 1050 section that doesn’t have an SI Leader assigned to it, but a different MATH 1050 section has an SI Leader, you can attend their SI sessions.
*Content may vary between course sections, and your syllabus may not align with what the SI Leader is reviewing during the SI sessions if you aren’t in their section.
While attendance at SI sessions is optional, research conducted by the International Center for Supplemental Instruction shows that students who utilize SI are more likely to score higher final grades than their peers who do not.
In addition, SI sessions assist students in developing transferable study skills (how to review for an exam, how to more effectively utilize notes/textbooks, etc.) that can assist them throughout their college career and help them to become independent learners.
SI sessions are planned and facilitated by the SI Leader and combine “what to learn” - the course content - with “how to learn” - group activities and study strategies. Each week, the SI Leader will plan multiple group-focused activities designed to help students deepen their understanding of course material.
No, the professor is not present during SI sessions. SI sessions are led and facilitated by SI Leaders.
- Attend the lecture! SI sessions are not designed to serve as a substitute for class attendance.
- Review your course materials (notes, textbook, lecture slides, etc.) before the session and make a list of content that you would like the SI Leader to review.
- Come ready to meet new people and participate! SI sessions are designed around group discussion and collaboration, and students who actively participate will find SI sessions more effective in helping them review and understand course material than students who do not.