Do you think extra time in exams is fair?

Extra time doesn't make the test easier. It gives me extra time to understand and fully read the question properly. It also means I'm not having to rush so much. I read slowly due to a sight condition I have. I'm also Autistic, which causes problems with how I understand language, meaning as well as reading slower than most people due to partial sight, I've got to read the question several times to actually understand it. Therefore, the extra time doesn't actually make it easier. It just puts me on a more level playing field as everyone else.

Extra time is a reasonable adjustment.

What the hell? Aside from my brain injury and hearing loss, all my disabilities are genetic. According to your bizarre logic, they're not disabilities, because they're genetic. Most people with one of my genetic conditions, go blind in their 30s.

I get the impression that you're just very bitter. You really have no idea how lucky you are that you don't need extra time or rest breaks, in order to do your exams.

Most people have to rush quite a bit to finish exams I certainly have had to.Why should Autistic people get extra time?The exams don't test socialising skills?If you are struggling to understand text then it generally means your Reading skills are bad as text in exams is usually literal its certainly not the jokey sort of language autistic people would get confused with.

le sigh. One of the problems I have as an Autistic person, is how I understand written language. If I am given paragraphs of writing, I have to read them several times because I don't always understand what they really mean.

It's nothing to do with reading skills. It's to do with processing and understanding language.

An employer will want 8 hours work not 6 thats what they are paying you for, tests for graduate schemes that employers will give you often have tight time limits just as exams.As I have said before exams have strict time limits so clearly speed is being assessed and thus slow processing should result in a lower grade.

Your mother didn't get 50% extra time for her exams though?

Giving people extra time makes the test easier(99% of people would probably agree), it makes it substantially easier for people like you as thats the skill you are bad at no longer being tested.I think most students would agree that finishing the test in time is actually a difficult skill that many struggle with and end up not finishing questions or not completing them properly due to rushing and silly mistakes and not enough time to think through the question(I didn't finish 2 of my University exams I didn't miss out that much though).If you got the most difficult exam questions and gave everyone more time I think a lot of people would have cracked them and got them right.

A more reasonable argument would be whether the examination time should be increased so as to not assess speed but I think this is a skill many employers would want and this is indicated by the timed tests they give potential employees.

I also don't really get why these disabilities count as disabilities you have it as a result of getting some bad genes from your parents, students who are very dumb and don't perform well in exams have also got bad genes from their parents/bad environmental factors and those who perform well have got good genes/good environmental factors.If we accounted for genes and environmental factors everyone would probably get about the same and then all the exams would be pointless.

le sigh. One of the problems I have as an Autistic person, is how I understand written language. If I am given paragraphs of writing, I have to read them several times because I don't always understand what they really mean.

It's nothing to do with reading skills. It's to do with processing and understanding language.

This is how I see extra time, a boy with only one leg is clearly at a disadvantage in a running race, so to try and combat this, you give him a prosthetic. Is that unfair? Because thats whats happening with me, only my disabilities can't be seen.

Why should I settle for a university that isn't as prestigious or academically recognised simply because it takes me longer to write down my answers to yours? If we have the exact same answers, why should you attend a better university just because you finished ten minutes before me? Extra time would make the exam easier for you as someone without a disability! Not me!!!! Having extra time puts me at the same level as you believe me, you're acting closed minded because you can't grasp the idea of not physically being able to write quick enough for an exam to the point that it massively impacts your life.

You're clearly intimidated by those who have extra time in exams, your final paragraph screams it. I think your ego would thrive if extra time was removed, to watch more intelligent and hard working people score lower than you simply because you can write quicker. The most important skills required for work are those not tested, they shine through and spread through word of mouth and demonstration in interviews, not a grade on a piece of paper, GCSE's and A-Levels are rarely looked at after university!

Could I just say that this clearly shows that you believe that hard work, knowledge and intelligence is what should be tested (I personally agree) - but not everyone agrees. As I said above, many people believe that exams should just be a test of what you can get done in a certain time limit and everything, including disabilites, is therefore being tested. You may not agree, in teh same way I disagree with that point of view, but it is a valid view and you should accept that.

Imagine being someone who had a very low IQ - like to the point where it has "medical terminology". You would feel disadvantaged because no matter how much work you put in, you can't beat that genius with a 150 IQ in any exam despite the fact that they never do work or pay attention in class. That could easily be seen as unfair - I mean they can't change their IQ no matter what - it is all down to genes. Yet is it fair to have a sort of handicap, meaning that depending on your IQ, all your grades are levelled out? I mean, just because you are a genius, it doesn't take away from the fact that you knew every question on the test - so why should you lose marks? This is the same sort of dilemma as having a disability. Now, I believe, as do you, that disabilities should be allowed extra time to even out the playing field. I also believe that IQ should not be levelled out, maybe you diagree. Either way, we both have arguments for and against the IQ argument, and teh same is true with disabilites. Some people think that if you have disabilities, then that's just as bad as having a lower IQ - I disagree - so they are all valid opinions.

Just my two cents.

I have learning difficulties and sitting my GCSE's this year and if I did not get 25% extra time, a reader and a quieter room I would fail as I generally am disadvantaged.

You would join legions of people who fail

I am predicted 5A's and 5B's for GCSE.

Also, more people in private schools get extra time.Just another way to disadvantage those not from the upper class.The system is being abused by the private schools, and doesn't reflect how things would be in real life. Many people who know how to fail the test deliberately do so, to make sure they get the time without deserving it.



SCRAP EXTRA TIME!!!!!

Also, more people in private schools get extra time.Just another way to disadvantage those not from the upper class.The system is being abused by the private schools, and doesn't reflect how things would be in real life. Many people who know how to fail the test deliberately do so, to make sure they get the time without deserving it.



SCRAP EXTRA TIME!!!!!

Could I just say that this clearly shows that you believe that hard work, knowledge and intelligence is what should be tested (I personally agree) - but not everyone agrees. As I said above, many people believe that exams should just be a test of what you can get done in a certain time limit and everything, including disabilites, is therefore being tested. You may not agree, in teh same way I disagree with that point of view, but it is a valid view and you should accept that.

Just my two cents.

An employer will want 8 hours work not 6 thats what they are paying you for, tests for graduate schemes that employers will give you often have tight time limits just as exams.As I have said before exams have strict time limits so clearly speed is being assessed and thus slow processing should result in a lower grade.

This is only really a valid view if time is a key skill being tested otherwise the test will not do what it set out to do- as such I do think that view is highly ridiculous. A such at medical school some of the oral/ practicle examinations do not have an extra time allowance for anyone as they test your ability in a situation where time is important but other exams (written recall) extra time is allowed because time is not a key to the function of the assessment, which is the primary point is to assess your knowledge.
As i tried to say if time is a key to the aims of the assent then this is a perfectly valid point of view but otherwise I just feel the people holding the view are a little on the stupid side as I am yet to see a good justification for its generic application.

A good justification is to stop moaning like lil *****es and get on with it.
No one is judging you as a person but in fact...lots of people think the need for extra time is a falacy.

That's no one elses problem though? I used to be really slow at understanding but then my dad kept on getting on at me so to save myself anymore torture i got better and faster, like everyone else learns to do. I just got on with it, instead of moaning and finding an excuse for my failures.

As someone who gets 25% extra time, I think it's perfectly fair for certain people to receive extra time. People who say to me it's not fair that I get more time often do not understand the reasons why I get extra time. I get extra time because my processing speed is incredibly low (my test result was below the first percentile) and because I find it difficult to concentrate (so if my mind wanders during the exam, I still have time to finish it).

I do understand however that indeed, it is unfair when people cheat the system to receive extra time. However, it is incredibly difficult to successfully do this, as you must have evidence that before the extra time you were underperforming and not finishing exams, have a low test score in at least 1 section that supports any disability you have, and mountains of evidence that after receiving extra time your exam results are improving.

In total, it took me 2 years to gather all the evidence I needed, so unless you fail exams on purpose for 2 years and fail the test on purpose, then you shouldn't be able to get extra time for no reason in exams.