Dear Frank,
I think the reply David Dillard has sent is a very good place to start. I'm
thinking about how to address the problem practically, but in the interim I
thought you might like to know how we do this in Sheffield.
The range of benefits for someone assessed with extra requirements, other than
not being in a room with lots of other people (see below), include extra time,
a reader, or a scribe (or a combination of these things). I regularly scribe
for a dyslexic who gets an extra 15 minutes per hour in recognition of his
extra requirements, for instance. These requirements, externally assessed,
should have the effect of "levelling the playing field" in a more objective way
than leaving it up to the individual marker to put whatever weight on the
yellow sticker they feel appropriate. There is no specific way of identifying a
student with specific needs when it comes to marking papers, but anyone with
(recognised) extra requirements sits the exam in a different building to
everyone else. The exam hall used is on the front of the paper for basic
identification, so it is possible for the marker to see where the student sat,
and make inferences from that. Technically, it shouldn't make any difference to
the marking, because of other reasons I will come to in a moment, but it does
for some markers.
I suspect that you need to add another question to your list - "What are you
putting in place to ensure any extra needs are properly met?"
I hope this helps.
Jeremy.
--
Jeremy Wickins,
PhD Researcher, Biometrics and Social Exclusion,
Sheffield Institute of Biotechnological Law and Ethics (SIBLE),
Department of Law,
University of Sheffield,
169/171, Northumberland Road,
Crookesmoor,
Sheffield. S10 1DF
UK.
Tel: +44 (0)114 222 6881
Fax: +44 (0)114 222 6886
Quoting Frank Clement-Lorford <[log in to unmask]>:
> I had posted the below to another list, but it has been suggested to me
> that I should also post to this, does anyone have an opinion.
>
> I am a mature student at Surrey and am considered to be multi-disabled
>
> being severely dyslexic, being one of them. For several years Surrey has
>
> offered disabled students who needed them a ‘yellow sticker’ which was
>
> attached to essays and exams. These were to make aware to the tutor or
>
> marker that the student had a specific learning difficulty (terrible
>
> expression) and to take that into consideration when marking the piece as
>
> far as grammar and spelling was concerned.
>
>
> From next semester Surry has decided to withdraw this scheme, they have
>
> used various arguments. I can accept that with all the enabling software
>
> and hardware including asking a friend to glance over your written work,
>
> there was no need for ‘yellow stickers’. However the withdrawal in the
>
> exam room leaves me feeling disadvantaged, like others my writing speed
>
> and reading speed is impaired by my dyslexia. We all know how one minute
>
> you can spell a word and then you can’t. I also forget words and their
>
> meanings. Therefore because I could apply a yellow sticker my writing
>
> speed was less impeded. Now it is.
>
>
>
> No one at Surry has been able to tell me how the withdrawal of this scheme
>
> does not now put me at a disadvantage. Therefore making me feel more
>
> disabled than previously. When I saw the Dean of Students about this
>
> matter, I asked two questions. One why? And the other how many disabled
>
> students were consulted before you made the decision to withdraw the
>
> yellow stickers. To this he answered that the Student Union was involved
>
> with the subject and they would have asked various students. I found out
>
> today from them not one student was consulted. On the why, he answered
>
> that employers should be able to expect that all students underwent the
>
> same criteria in obtaining their qualifications. However he did not answer
>
> when I asked if all disabled people applying to join the armed forces
>
> would be expected to go over the assault course.
>
>
>
> (At long last I am there, the point I need advice) When I asked Students
>
> Union how to make a complaint on this matter they directed me to
>
> university complaints system which is personal tutor – student
>
> representative – head of school – dean of students. However I think this
>
> is a disability matter. And I have already involved most of the listed
>
> members. I therefore wonder and asking others how to proceed with this
>
> matter, also do I have a point. It is very difficult to find other
>
> students like me to ask their opinion as Data protection is always thrown
>
> up. I am looking to send an all asking email to all students through my
>
> university email account, but IT is not being very helpful.
>
>
> Sorry this is long winded but any advice will be appreciated, many thanks;
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Regards Frank
>
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