On Fri, 01 Aug 1997 17:59:26 +0100 (BST) "Dr P.B.
Dobrowolski" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Dear All
>
> We have been approached by a Pro-Vice Chancellor at Leicester for our
> views on the merits of distributing stickers to students with
> dyslexia so that they can stick them on course work and exam papers
> to alert markers to the fact that the writer of the script has dyslexia.
> This is a positive step forward in that there is an awareness that
> these students need to be identified whilst maintaining the anonymity
> of marking.
>
> But (there always is a but) some questions already occur to me:
>
> 1 I have in the back of my mind a vague memory about there being
> drawbacks to this system. I wondered if any of my colleagues on dis-forum
> have used sticker and with what result?
At University of North London we have had a sticker system
in place since about 1990. Students are given a yellow
sticker which states "This student has been diagnosed as
dyslexic. Please make sympathetic allowance for spelling
and written expression when marking." It is completely up
to the student to decide whether or not to use these
stickers; the only real drawback I can see is that some
students object to having their work flagged because it
makes them feel embarrassed. However, it is an option that
they can accept or reject.
>
> 2 Markers might well say faced with such a sticker: so what does
> that mean? At Leicester we have produced written guidelines for
> markers, but do other instituions tackle this in a different way?
>
I would very much appreciate seeing the written guidelines
you offer to markers. I think there is considerable
confusion about how to mark 'sympathetically'.
> 3 What should the stickers have on them? The legend 'I have
> dyslexia' is hardly of use given the wide spectrum of difficulties
> that can be experienced. Perhaps a sticker with an indication of the
> areas where difficulties are experienced would be better. Has anyone
> got any thoughts on this?
>
In addition to the sticker, which we encourage students to
use on examination scripts, we also provide them with a
'mini-report'. This is a cover sheet to attach to
coursework assignments which has a check list of particular
difficulties which apply to that student. There is also a
brief statement indicating that if the work has been
produced on a word processor, it may not reflect the
problems which the student has, but will have taken
considerably longer to produce. There is a space for the
student to add any comments regarding the amount of time
spent or particular areas of difficulty.
Hope this is of some help.
----------------------
Ellen Morgan, Coordinator
Dyslexia Support Service
E-Mail:- [log in to unmask]
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|