THE STUDENT ADVISER ANALYSER
Rate yourself as a student adviser!
PART 1 VALUES
Below are a number of statements about the educational advising of students. Ring the number
that most clearly corresponds to your natural reaction to each statement.
Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Strongly
The main job of an adviser is to get students through their courses
1
2
3
4
Students with problems just need clear advice on what to do
1
2
3
4
It is all right for advisers to show their feelings
1
2
3
4
The trick to advising is to get people to think they found your solutions for themselves
1
2
3
4
Advisers can only help students if they have experienced the problems themselves
1
2
3
4
Advising is mainly about helping students clarify their needs
1
2
3
4
An adviser needs to be able to probe and analyse people
1
2
3
4
3
4
2
3
4
2
3
4
An adviser never gets impatient
1
2
Students who fail can be helped by advising
1
Advising is just listening
1
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PART 1 VALUES - SCORING
Give yourself a score depending on your answers as below.
Statement 1 Disagree 2, Strongly disagree 1.
The main job of an adviser is to help students make the right decision for themselves; that may
not always be to continue study. Obviously an adviser will explore what help might be
appropriate in overcoming obstacles but not to the extent of manipulating a student to continue
whatever the cost or exacerbating a student’s feelings of failure.
Statement 2 Strongly disagree 2, Disagree 1.
Students with problems need help in clarifying and understanding those problems. Sometimes
because of that clarification it will be appropriate to give information or advice. However,
advice is only effective when it is mutually agreed and arises naturally out of the exploration.
Statement 3 Agree 2, Strongly agree 1.
Advisers are not distant white-coated authorities; they have feelings and will share them as they
feel appropriate.
Statement 4 Strongly disagree 2.
Advising is not about manipulation in any form.
Statement 5 Disagree 2, Strongly disagree 1.
People’s problems may be similar but the solutions are unique to them. An adviser working
from his experience may well attempt to impose his solutions on the student.
Statement 6 Strongly agree 2, Agree 1.
Probably the best definition of advising of any kind.
Statement 7 Strongly disagree 2, Disagree 1.
Whilst insight and empathy are important skills for an adviser, the image of an adviser as
detective, interrogator or psychoanalyst is unhelpful. It implies an unequal relationship between
counsellor and client (and is likely to put any client on the defensive).
Statement 8 Disagree 2, Strongly disagree 1.
An adviser is just a human being and every human being feels impatient with others
occasionally. An adviser will find a non-aggressive and non-critical way of expressing that
feeling if appropriate.
Statement 9 Strongly agree, Agree 1.
Students fail for many reasons, many of them non-academic such as time, motivation and
assessment anxiety. Advising may well help such students. Even those students who cannot
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handle the academic demands of a course may be helped by counselling on referral and coming
to terms with their position.
Statement 10 Disagree 2, Agree 1.
The essence and main activity of advising is indeed active perceptive listening. However, a
good counsellor will also use his or her experience and skill to help the student clarify and
conceptualize the issue or problem as well as challenging the student’s perceptions when
appropriate.
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THE STUDENT ADVISER ANALYSER
PART 2 LISTENING SKILLS
Below are a series of statements from a student, each with a range of responses from an adviser.
Ring the letter of the response that is closest to the response you would make as an adviser.
Mary is a new student and has been studying for a couple of months.
1. Mary
I have to be honest with you Jean/Jim. I just don’t think the course is for me.
Adviser a) Oh, goodness, Mary, it’s a bit early to be deciding that! Give it another week or
two at least.
b) I’m sorry to hear that Mary. But that’s how it goes sometimes.
c) Why, what’s wrong with the course?
d) You feel the course isn’t what you wanted?
2. Mary
I just can’t get started on it.
Adviser a) I have that problem sometimes!
b) Tell me what happens when you try to study.
c) It’s a question of will power Mary. You’ve just got to force yourself to get
down to it.
d) Well, what’s stopping you exactly?
3. Mary
It’s my concentration really. I can study quite well for a while but then my mind
starts to wander.
Adviser a) Some bits of the course are rather boring.
b) Well, it’s like I just said. You can’t get away from the need to exercise simple
will power.
c) You’re distracted by something?
d) Mmm?
4. Mary is silent for a while and then sighs heavily.
Adviser a) You seem to be easily discouraged.
b) Sorry, I don’t seem to be helping you much.
c) Would you like to tell me how you’re feeling?
d) What are you thinking?
5. Mary
The fact is that my family never really wanted me to do the course.
Adviser a) You’re under a lot of pressure from them?
b) That sounds pretty tough.
c) Families are often like that.
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d) You know, it’s your life – you should tell them exactly what’s what.
6. Mary
I just can’t talk to them about it.
Adviser a) They don’t want to listen to you?
b) What do you think will happen if you do?
c) Yes, I know it’s difficult but you’re going to have to sometime, aren’t you?
d) It might be easier than you think.
7. Mary
They just don’t understand why I’m doing this.
Adviser a) I do know how you feel. But I’m sure if you tried to tell them again they’d
understand.
b) You know there are times when you just have to stand up for yourself.
c) It’s difficult getting your feelings across isn’t it?
d) You’ve not been able to make them understand?
8. Mary
So tell me what I do?
Adviser a) What do you think you ought to do?
b) Well you know what I think.
c) I can’t tell you but I’d be happy to discuss it with you further if you like.
d) That’s a tough one – you’re in a very difficult position, but there’s no hurry, we
can talk some more.
9. Mary
Look, I know you’re busy and I really don’t want to take up more of your time.
Adviser a) No, that’s alright, that’s what I’m paid for.
b) I’m glad you’ve been able to tell me this.
c) It is getting late – let’s discuss this again.
d) Do stay – I’ve plenty of time.
10. Mary
I just don’t feel able to decide anything at the moment anyway.
Adviser a) OK. But I’d like to have another chat if that would be alright with you. Would
next Tuesday do?
b) It’s a difficult decision. Let’s have another chat sometime.
c) I’m sure it will all be for the best.
d) Well, don’t let it go for too long. You need to get it sorted out soon.
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PART 2 LISTENING SKILLS - SCORING
Most responses to statements can be categorized as:
Directive
or
non-directive
Closed
or
open
Non-reflective
or
reflective
Directive responses tend to push the client into a particular course of action – for example,
Statement 1, Response (a) – ‘Oh goodness, it’s too early for that! Give it another week or two at
least!’ Directive responses can often sound faintly critical and are seldom effective as they
rarely deal with the real issues. Non-directive responses leave the student to decide on direction
– for example, Statement 1, Response (b) – ‘I’m sorry to hear that Mary. But that’s how it goes
sometimes.’
Closed questions just invite yes/no or similar specific responses – for example, Statement 2,
Response (d) – ‘Well, what’s stopping you exactly?’
Open questions invite the student to expand and explore the issue – for example, Statement 2,
Response (b) – ‘Tell me what happens when you try to study.’
Reflective responses mirror back the student’s statement to students in such a way as to clarify
the statement, reassure them that they have been heard and encourage them to explore further –
for example, Statement 1, Response (d) – ‘You feel the course isn’t what you wanted?’
Non-reflective responses do not attempt to mirror the student’s feelings or statements – for
example, Statement 1, Response (c) – ‘Why, what’s wrong with the course?’
Advisers generally use non-directive, open, reflecting responses as far as they can to encourage
students to explore, clarify and move towards a resolution of an issue for themselves.
Statement 1
Response (a) Score 0 – directive and unhelpful.
Response (b) Score 1 – non-directive and non-critical but not particularly helpful in exploring
the issue.
Response (c) Score 0 – faintly defensive and unlikely to encourage the dialogue.
Response (d) Score 2 – a clear open reflection.
Statement 2
Response (a) Score 1 – friendly and non-directive but the counsellor is ‘taking over’ the
problem with her own experience, which is not always helpful.
Response (b) Score 2 – not a reflection but an appropriate non-directive and open response.
Response (c) Score 0 – directive and faintly critical.
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Response (d) Score 0 – closed and rather impatient.
Statement 3
Response (a) Score 0 – a kind of reflection but quite inaccurate and unhelpful.
Response (b) Score 0 – directive and possibly unhelpful.
Response (c) Score 1 – reflective and helpful but possibly a little closed.
Response (d) Score 2 – all that is needed at this point really.
Statement 4
Response (a) Score 0 – something of a put-down however sympathetically said.
Response (b) Score 0 – not likely to encourage confidence.
Response (c) Score 2 – gives client permission to go on in a non-directive way.
Response (d) Score 1 – as above but not so well put.
Statement 5
Response (a) Score 2 – a reflection.
Response (b) Score 1 – all right but putting words into the student’s mouth.
Response (c) Score 0 – could be worse but not particularly helpful – the counsellor is taking
over the problem again.
Response (d) Score 0 – directive and rather censorious.
Statement 6
Response (a) Score 1 – a good try at a reflection but not what she said.
Response (b) Score 2 – a little better than above as it moves forward more.
Response (c) Score 0 – rather critical.
Response (d) Score 0 – irrelevant to the student’s feelings.
Statement 7
Response (a) Score 0 – well meaning but probably of no use.
Response (b) Score 0 – considerably worse.
Response (c) Score 1 – helpful.
Response (d) Score 2 – is slightly better.
Statement 8
Response (a) Score 0 – not a good reflection, just a counsellor feeling that he is on the spot and
bouncing the question straight back.
Response (b) Score 0 – directive.
Response (c) Score 2 – open and honest but leaving the door open.
Response (d) Score 1 – not as honest as (c) as it implies that the counsellor may be able to offer
a solution at some future point.
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Statement 9
Response (a) Score 0 – it makes it sound as though the counsellor is under some rather tedious
obligation.
Response (b) Score 2 – a small validation for the student’s courage in getting so far.
Response (c) Score 1 – honest but also slightly dismissive.
Response (d) Score 0 – could sound insincere.
Statement 10
Response (a) Score 2 – a clear commitment to give more help if the student wants it.
Response (b) Score 1 – rather vague and no clear commitment to follow up.
Response (c) Score 0 – woolly and pathetic?
Response (d) Score 0 – directive.
Your total score (but don’t take this too seriously...)
30 – 40 You clearly have excellent qualities of empathy and openness. It may be that you will
want to be just a little more directive in your work sometimes!
20 – 30 You have a good feel for the skills and qualities of an adviser – you may occasionally
be judgmental so watch out for that.
10 – 20 You would still make a good educational adviser but you should be careful not to be
too directive – allow your students a little more space to find their own solutions
sometimes.
0 – 10
You probably have many fine qualities and skills but being an educational adviser
may not be one of the best – yet!
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