Language Assistance

Language Assistance

Many students from overseas who come to MST who do not have English as their first language. With this in mind, we seek to provide some assistance with language, particularly in the first semester of study. The Dean of Studies is available to organise assistance with essays and exams.

The following policy outlines the sorts of assistance that will be available:

Assistance with Assessments Policy

  1. The MST Essay Guide and Study Skills program gives general assistance with essays and exams.
  2. In your lectures you can expect an explanation from the lecturer on how to approach a piece of assessment and clarification if any of the questions are ambiguous.
  3. Your lecturer will look at an outline and provide broad advice on improvements if needed. Note that this should not be taken as approval, just advice.
  4. In your first semester of study or if the Dean or Studies or Dean of Students are concerned you might be at risk of failure, faculty will give help with a draft of a piece of assessment or practice exam question. Under ACT regulations faculty can only give you broad advice on its strengths and weakness not help with the detail. The lecturer who will ultimately grade the paper cannot see a final draft if the piece is an essay.
  5. If English is not your first language or you have a diagnosed disability, faculty or other students can give you editorial help with grammar and spelling. In the case of an exam where this is not possible, you will not be penalised for errors.
  6. If you would like help with a draft you must submit it no later than one week prior to the due date as they take some time for faculty to read. Requests will not be received on the due date. You should channel requests through the Dean of Studies who will find the most appropriate person to help you.
  7. You can also expect written feedback on assessment other than exams giving strengths and areas that could be improved. Faculty will give you verbal feedback on exam papers on request but you will need to contact the Dean of Studies to arrange that as exam papers are not kept by faculty themselves.