Student Learning Services (SLS) promotes equal opportunity and invites students with disabilities to the educational community at Portage College. Our department is committed to providing an inclusive learning environment. SLS offers accommodations and tools for learning.
Learning Facilitators meet with students, gather relevant background information and review documentation. Our staff provides one-on-one strategy sessions, exam accommodations, assistive technology access, alternate format material and other services as required. Once student needs are identified, an Individual Education Plan is implemented. Information and guidance, including referrals to other service departments, will be facilitated by your learning support team.
Important Information
Office Hours:
Monday through Friday 8:15 to 4:30
Toll-free all Locations: 1-866-623-5551
Cold Lake Campus
Room 1310
email: Sarah Williams
Phone: 780-639-7108
Cold Lake Campus
Room 1309
email: Chelsea Eckel
Phone: 780-639-7140
Lac La Biche Campus
Room 131
email: Geraldine Hagen
Phone: 780-623-5538
Lac La Biche Campus
Room 131
email: Kerrianne Tynan
Phone: 780-623-5569
St. Paul Campus
Room 106 & 108
Amy Charter
Phone: 780-614-6337
Portage College has a duty to provide reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities and will endeavour to provide a supportive physical, academic, and social environment. The College will provide accommodations to students to ensure equal access to education in accordance with the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship and Multicultural Act, and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Please refer to our policy: C.2.7 (G-P) Students with Disabilities.
Learning Resources
Writing Process
10 Basic Steps to a Term Paper (Dawson College)
Academic Writing Style (Trinity College Dublin)
Analyzing the Question (Trinity College Dublin)
Essay Basics (Dawson College)
Thesis Statement (Dawson College)
Why Should you Use Outlines? (University of Missouri Kansas City)
Basic Essay Structure (University of Saskatchewan)
Beginning and Ending Examples (Trinity College Dublin)
Planning Templates
The Outline (Dawson College)
Research Paper Outline (adapted from The Daring English Teacher, 2014)
5 Paragraph Essay Outline Graphic
Mind Map
Essay Planning Flow Chart
Box Chart Detail and Evidence Outline
Persuasive Essay Graphic Organizer
Primary Source Analysis
The Hamburger Essay Plan (Trinity College Dublin)
Editing a Paper
How to Edit (Dawson College)
Basic Editing Checklist (Dawson College)
Grammar and Punctuation (University of Wisconsin)
Grammar
Better Paragraphs
Transition Examples (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Proof Reading Your Work (Trinity College Dublin)
Multiplication and Division
Introduction to Multiplication and Division
Decimals
Decimals Cheat Sheet
Introduction to Decimals
Adding and Subtracting Decimals
Multiplying and Dividing Decimals
Fractions
Fractions Cheat Sheet
Introduction to Fractions
Comparing and Reducing Fractions
Adding and Subtracting Fractions
Multiplying and Dividing Fractions
Ratios and Proportions Cheat Sheet
Percent
Converting Percentages, Decimals and Fractions
Percent Cheat Sheet
Geometry
Geometry Formula Sheet
Lines and Angles
Area
Circles
Triangles
Pythagoras' Theorem
Rotation
Reflections
Lines of Symmetry
Translation
Transformations
Time Impacts Memory
Curve of Forgetting (University of Waterloo)
Spacing Learning Events Over Time (Will Thalheimer)
How to Remember More of What you Learn with Spaced Repetition (Thomas Frank - College Info Geek)
Spaced Practice Study Method (The Learning Scientists)
Memory Techniques
Metacognitive Strategies (Cornell University)
Remembering (Virginia Tech)
My Favorite Memory Tool (Nelson Dellis)
The Most Powerful Way to Remember What you Study (Thomas Frank - College Info Geek)
Enhancing Your Memory
Memory Strategies
Tips to improve Concentration (Harvard Health)
Remember What you Learn (Algonquin College)
Take Regular Breaks (Thomas Frank - College Info Geek)
Note Taking
Should You Take Notes on Paper or on a Computer? (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
How to Take Faster Notes (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
Making Study Notes (University of Waterloo)
Note Taking Systems/Formats (Utah State University)
Note Taking Strategies (University of Waterloo)
Taking Notes in Class
How to Take Notes in Class (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
Listening and Note-Taking in Lectures (Simon Fraser University)
Taking Notes While Reading
Textbook Reading Strategies (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
Reading
10 Active Reading Strategies (Blue Pencil Institute)
Active Reading Strategies (Princeton University)
College Reading Strategies (University of Hawai’i)
Reading Critically (University of Waterloo)
Reading Strategies & Tips (Oregon State University)
Strategies for Reading Comprehension (Read Naturally)
Strategies for Teaching Text Comprehension (Reading Rockets)
Vocabulary Building Strategies (Education Corner)
Reading Your Textbook
5 Active Reading Strategies for Textbook Assignments (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
Active Reading Strategies (St. Lawrence College)
SQ4R Steps (UCSD Sixth College)
Textbook Reading (University of Waterloo)
Types of College Reading Materials and Effective Strategies for Each (OER Services)
Easy-to-use reading comprehension software for all students
Read and Write is a text-to-speech program available to all Portage College students whether working on a Portage College computer or a computer at home.
This learning software allows you to hear text on the computer and also provides a number of valuable tools to help you with both reading and writing. To learn more about the features of Read and Write, and how to use these features, click on the links below.
Read and Write Download and Installation Instructions
| Quick Reference Guides | Helpful Videos |
| Google Chrome | Features for Google Chrome |
| Windows | Features for Windows |
| Mac | Features for Mac |
Getting the Most from Lectures and Readings
Lecture Notes (University of Guelph)
Post Lecture Checklist (Simon Fraser University)
Predicting Test Questions (Western Washington University)
Reviewing After Lecture (Simon Fraser University)
Efficient and Effective Study Methods
4 Methods (Simon Fraser University)
5 Key Exam Prep Strategies (Simon Fraser University)
10 Study Tips (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
Cramming (University of Waterloo)
Deciding What to Study (Algonquin College)
Examining Returned Exams Checklist (Simon Fraser University)
How to Study Effectively (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
How to Study Effectively with Flash Cards ( Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
Scientifically, the Best ways to Prepare for Final Exams (State University of New York)
Study Less Study Smart (Thomas Frank (College Info Geek)
Succeed at Exams (University of Guelph)
Understanding Action Words in Exam Questions (Simon Fraser University)
What else can I do to help my Learning?)
All-Nighters Equal Lower Grades
Brain Food (Western Governors University)
Sleep and Academics (Utah State University)
How Exercise Boosts your Brainpower
How to Make Studying Fun – Or at Least Less Boring (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
Study Environment Analysis (Virginia Tech)
Study Groups
Group Process (University of British Columbia)
Organizing Study Groups (Gustavus Adolphus College)
Guides for University Learning
Learning from Course Outlines (University of Guelph)
Learning from Lectures (University of Guelph)
Learning from Textbooks (University of Guelph)
Test Taking
Ace Your Next Exam (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
How to Make a Final Exam Study Schedule (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
Taking a Test (Algonquin College)
Test Writing (University of Waterloo)
The Ultimate Guide to Acing Your Finals (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
Test Anxiety
8 Strategies for Reducing Exam Anxiety (Simon Fraser University)
Overcoming Exam Anxiety (Simon Fraser University)
How to Take on your Exams Without Stress (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
Reduce Test Anxiety (University of Waterloo)
Test Anxiety (University of Waterloo)
Test Anxiety Cures (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
Multiple Choice Tests
5 Rules for Acing Multiple Choice Tests (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
Exam Preparation: Multiple Choice Exam Strategies (Simon Fraser University)
How to Improve Your Grades on Multiple Choice Tests (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
Multiple Choice Test Taking Tips and Strategies (Education Corner)
True and False Exams
True/False Test Taking Strategies (Education Corner)
Matching Exams
Top Ten Tips to Taking Matching Tests (Pennington Publishing)
Essay Exams
Exam Preparation: Strategies for Essay Exams (Simon Fraser University)
Preparing for Essay Exams (University of Guelph)
Succeed at Writing Essay Exams (University of Guelph)
Math Exams
Strategies for Success in Mathematics Courses (Simon Fraser University)
Lab Exams
Succeed at Lab Exams (University of Guelph)
Online Exams
Writing Exams Online (University of Guelph)
Top 5 Tips for Take Home Exams (University of Guelph)
Time Management
Creating a Term Plan (University of Waterloo)
Managing your Time Effectively (University of Waterloo)
5 Methods for Focusing and Concentrating Effectively (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
Motivation
Stop Saying, “I Don’t Feel Like It” (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
What to do when you have no Motivation to Study (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
Task Lists
Daily To Do List (University of Waterloo)
Weekly To Do List (University of Waterloo)
Schedules
Prioritaztion Strategies (University of Waterloo)
Scheduling Tips (University of Waterloo)
How to Create a Final Exam Study Schedule (Thomas Frank – College Info Geek)
We acknowledge that Portage College’s service region is on the traditional lands of First Nation Peoples, the owners of Treaty 6, 8 and 10, which are also homelands to the Métis people. We honour the history and culture of all people who first lived and gathered in these lands.