Dear Dis-forum,
We have written to the Teacher Training Agency about the skills tests for
qualified teacher status, especially the numeracy tests. I have copied in
the relevant sections from the reply from the TTA Chief Executive. To sum up
it seems that they are willing to make adjustments to the assessment
methods, but that they still maintain that the content of the assessment is
essential to all teachers (eg calculating quickly without a calculator). I
cannot immediately think of examples where every teacher would have to
calculate proportions without a calculator in the course of their job, but I
suppose that teachers will be able to say whether these abilities are
actually required. At the moment, students may be able to use the Human
Rights Act to challenge this approach (but I am not a lawyer, so legal
advice would be recommended - perhaps a teachers' union could help with
this?).
It will be important, when the new Disability Rights in Education Bill is
introduced, that the law covers the TTA and the government. In the
consultation Skill recommended that a duty 'to have due regard to the need
to promote equality of opportunity between disabled and non-disabled people'
be applied to all public bodies within the education sector. Then criteria
like the numeracy test for teachers would have to be justifiable to be
lawful.
The TTA's response to us follows:
'The numeracy tests have been brought in to assess those aspects of numeracy
that are required by teachers to carry out their professional role
effectively. The tests are not assessing skills teachers need to teach, but
skills they need for other important aspects of a teacher's role, for
example, looking at national test data, interpreting examination marks,
planning lessons, timetabling and managing budgets. Within the mental
arithmetic test, candidates need to demonstrate that they can carry out
mental calculations of more than one stage, particularly in the areas of
time, money, proportions, fractions, decimals, percentages, measurement and
conversions. These are all areas which teachers may need to calculate fairly
quickly without the use of calculators or palm tops.
The tests were extensively trailed and piloted with a wide range of
students. Provision was made to ensure that the tests were as accessible as
possible. If candidates usually had special arrangements made for them by
their training providers, then these were put in place for the tests: for
example, additional time for the whole test, a longer period of time to
answer each mental arithmetic question, enlarged papers and transcripts of
the mental arithmetic questions were amongst the special arrangements put in
place.
We were advised by representatives from the British Dyslexia Association
that for the majority of dyslexic candidates, 25% additional time would be
sufficient. Where candidates with severe dyslexia or multiple special needs
were notified to us, training providers were given discretion to operate
their own testing arrangements for these candidates, including the use of
amanuenses. For the mental arithmetic test, dyslexic candidates could opt
for the extended tape which gave 20 seconds to complete each question.
Candidates were advised to note down any workings, or key points which would
help those with short-term or working memory difficulties...
>From February onwards, the QTS skills tests (in numeracy, literacy and ICT)
will be computerised. We are in the process of finalising our procedures for
special arrangements in discussion with organisations representing people
with disabilities, but similar types of support will be available. For
example, candidates with hearing impairments will see the mental arithmetic
questions on screen, rather than use headphones. Additional time will be
available for the whole test, and an extended time period will be given to
answer each mental arithmetic question. We are working with the RNIB to
decide on support for candidates with visual impairments. We will also work
closely again with the British Dyslexia Association.
Thank you for taking the time to write to us on this important issue, The
purpose of the tests is not to exclude good teachers from teaching but to
raise standards overall.'
I hope this is informative.
Yours,
Nick Hawkes
Information and Research Worker
Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities
Freephone helpline - 0800 328 5050 (voice) 0800 068 2422 (text)
Web - www.skill.org.uk E-mail - [log in to unmask]
Skill is a registered charity, No. 801971
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