There is a fairly full rationale for additional time in the Singleton
report, pages 146 to 148.

Singleton, C. and the National Working Party on Dyslexia in Higher Education
(1999) Dyslexia in Higher Education: Policy, Provision and Practice. Hull:
University of Hull.

Cheers

Iain


Iain Hood
Senior Student Adviser, Learning Support
Student Support Services
APU
East Road
Cambridge
CB1 1PT

01223 363271 ex 2316
[log in to unmask]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bryan Jones" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 2:30 PM
Subject: Re: Rest Breaks & Marking


> Providing additional time in exams is not an exact science, but then
> timing exams isn't either.  Students in the straight, no support, exams
> usually have more than enough time to complete their paper.  One can
> become quite lonely invigilating exams towards the end because most
> students have up and left ages ago. The 25% time allowance has emerged
> as a standard for no good reason, it seems, other than this is what the
> public exam boards permit for GCSEs and A-levels, and perhaps
> practically the exam has to stop at some reasonable point so everyone
> can go home and have their tea, or have a break before the next one in
> the afternoon.  What should happen is that each students should really
> be assessed individually.   For some students with dyslexia 25% may be
> too much, while for others it is not nearly enough.  The numbers of such
> students going through the system tend to defeat such an individual
> approach a pragmatically we like to avoid the inevitable,  "how come
> she/he got more time than me? pleas.   For other disabilities a more
> considered approach often can be adopted.  An additional time allowance
> of whatever percentage seems appropriate to compensate for their
> relative slowness writing and or reading back their work.  If a student
> needs to rest that can be factored in as well as a specific time period,
> (but then again they can be resting during the additional percentage
> time allowance should they so wish).  The resting time is usually where
> the student is expected to "rest" and do no writing for the agreed
> period or until they wish to restart.
> As far as the legalities are concerned, a student may be able to provide
> an essay script with fewer spelling and grammatical errors if they have
> some additional time allowance. The student may not even take the extra
> time but knowing it is there can help reduce their anxiety levels and
> facilitate a better performance.  For other students no amount of
> additional time will help, especially if they normally rely on word
> processing and the spellchecking this affords.  In which case it may be
> argued that permitting the student to use a PC for their exams is an
> appropriate reasonable adjustment.   But if at the end of the day the
> English presented is not good, and this is something on which students
> are to be assessed, they can legitimately be penalised for less than
> adequate work.  In the DDA Code of Practice there is a specific example
> under the need to main Academic Standards section that uses a Journalism
> degree to illustrate the point.
>
>
>
> Bryan Jones,
> Manager, Disability Support Services
> & North London Regional Access Centre,
> Middlesex University
> Tel: 020 8411 5366
>
>         -----Original Message-----
>         From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support
> staff. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Claire Shanks
>         Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 9:42 AM
>         To: [log in to unmask]
>         Subject: Rest Breaks & Marking
>
>
>
>         Can anyone advise me on rest breaks in examinations.  If a
> student is recommended extra time in exams and rest breaks, should the
> rest breaks be in addition to the extra time or inclusive?  If it is in
> addition, is extra time added at the end or does the exam stop and
> resume?
>
>         I know there was a request last week about the marking of
> assessments/examinations for dyslexic students but as yet I don't think
> there has been a reply.  If anyone has any information and can offer
> guidance, it would be greatly appreciated.  We have a number of courses,
> i.e. Journalism, English and creative writing that assess spelling,
> grammar and punctuation as a learning module outcome and I am being
> asked what is best practice in dealing with this situation and in line
> with SENDA
>
>         Any help with these queries would be greatly appreciated.  Thank
> you.
>
>         With best wishes
>         Claire
>
>         Disability Support Manager
>         Disability Support Service
>         CSB Level 10
>         University of Huddersfield
>         Queensgate
>         Huddersfield
>         HD1 3DH
>
>         Tel:    01484 473940
>         Fax:    01484 472560
>         Email:  [log in to unmask]
>
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>
>