In addition, the SI Leader receives training and supervision from a learning skills specialist. SI has a major advantage over routine study skills programs in that students can apply study strategies directly to the course they are taking. Furthermore, it also ensures a stronger skills emphasis than traditional tutoring. The Leader's job is to demonstrate proficiency in the subject while modeling effective reading, writing, and thinking skills necessary for content mastery. The targeted course defines the SI Leader's approach to the course material.
Approaches vary with each discipline, as well as with each course instructor's teaching methodology.
For example, research suggests that most students rarely ask or answer questions that require inference, synthesis, or application and must see the link between the new material and their previous concrete experience in order to advance beyond the literal stage. SI leaders are trained to lead discussion groups that will help students develop critical thinking skills and lead them to ask more complex questions. Studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City show that high risk students using SI earned significantly higher grades and remained in college longer than equally motivated high risk students who were unable to use SI because of schedule conflicts. Not only did the SI students complete the term, but also remained for the following two semesters in greater numbers than did the non-SI students. The UM-KC study reports that the same proportion of students in the high risk group used SI services as did students scoring in the top quartile of scholastic aptitude tests.