Your name:
Sarah Pool
Tell us about yourself!
I live in Poole, Dorset – I am moving in August to Marlow, Buckinghamshire. I have three children, my youngest is 16 and she has just done her GCSEs. I love children, animals, exercise and fashion. I have a dog called Lui. I am a positive friendly person😊
A fun fact about me is that I used to be a body builder on stage and was in Mr&Mrs British Isles!! (a long time ago obviously!)
Supporting University students with a hearing loss is the best job ever! I have been working in deaf education for over 30 years and find it fulfilling and incredibly rewarding. I support my students with their grammar and organisation so they can achieve fantastic results and develop confidence in their abilities. University assignments are totally different to school assignments so my students need help navigating these different and challenging demands. Through my training, I learnt how important it is to give Deaf children the language for what they are trying to say. I use this philosophy with the university students I teach – many of whom would struggle without this specialist intervention.
When did you start working with Complete Communication?
January 2023
What is your role?
Specialist Support Professional for Students with a Hearing Loss
What made you pick us to work with?
I initially liked the name Complete Communication as it encompasses my philosophy of working with students with a hearing loss. I soon came to enjoy the friendliness of the team and the quick responses to my queries – this is the sign of an efficient team, and as an efficient practitioner, this suited me well.
What difference has your support made for the clients you have worked with?
The students I work with have developed/learnt/achieved the following:
Confidence in their own capabilities
Increased vocabulary and an improved use of it
How to structure an assignment and develop assignment plans
How to answer assignment questions correctly
How to write critically, presenting two viewpoints and formulating an argument, (required by universities) rather than using descriptive methods required in schools.
How to plan and write dissertations, including writing literary reviews, conducting qualitative and quantitative research studies and using Gantt charts
How to reference correctly
How to choose a dissertation titles
Improved writing and grammatical skills
Improved grades
What would be your advice to others?
To be effective in this role, it is important to form a positive relationship with students and make the sessions fun and enjoyable for them, make them want to work with you and enjoy the sessions
This role is not to just meet students once a week and chat about how it is going – the support must be productive and targeted to individual need, with every single minute used to the benefit of the student’s education.
Students can be forgetful of meetings so it is important to remind them on the day, or the day before. But don’t get annoyed with students if they forget meetings or if they need help at short notice or they will be reluctant to work with you again.
Students can be last minute.com so it is important to be flexible and prepared to restructure your day at short notice if a student has an assignment deadline. Flexibility and good organisation is key.
All students have different needs so it is important to assess what these are on your first meeting to make sure targeted support is provided and that these needs are met.
Remember you work for them and the key is to make your support invaluable to them.
Be positive and smile 😊
Why would you recommend Complete Communication?
Helpful friendly efficient staff
What is your favourite thing about Complete Communication?
I am contacted regularly to work with lots of amazing students
Their response time is good
They are super efficient and lovely