Do you think extra time in exams is fair?

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Original post by sufiyan1999

Wait never knew you were a trained medical professional?
SEN trained?
Have autism yourself?
Work for JCQ or any exam board?

If the answer to the above is no, you cant judge whether or not someone is entitled do extra time....

I've been applying the access arrangement regulations for years and they are quite clear. You can read them here if you like: http://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/regulations-and-guidance/access-arrangements-and-reasonable-adjustments-2015-2016 Having a diagnosis of autism does not automatically get you extra time.

Reply 561

Compost

Original post by sufiyan1999

Well if they are an exams office i would have hoped that they understood autism needs to be assessed on a case by case basis. "

That is precisely what I did say.

Reply 562

cookie123456789

NO!!! IT'S AN ABSOLUTE OUTRAGE!!!

Spoiler

Reply 563

Midgeymoo17

Original post by Compost

Just a polite question on this occasion - what type of education establishment do you work in?

Reply 564

cazzers123

Honestly, I don't think that it is fair- and I have extra time because I'm dyslexic. Sure it's great for me and I really appreciate having it but it's not fair. I go to a top performing private school and people there like me have ET but I doubt that if we were in a state school we would have got it- the test that they use to test you measures you against yourself - so you perform a variety of tasks and in a non dyslexic person, your ability to do the tests is similar but if you're dyslexic then you'll be much better at certain tests than others. So far, so fair. But I'm classed as 'exceptional' in som ares and 'average' in others. Someone else could be av rage at everything and not get extra time because of it, wharS I do. So yeah it's not fair, but I'm not complaining cos I do think it's given me a significant advantage in my GCSES. Just my opinion xx

Reply 565

ryanroks1

The rules need to be tightened - I am eligible for extra time for an autoimmune condition but I didn't go through the process of claiming it because my processing speed is unaffected - admittedly regretting it a little now after the painful D1 exam! However, the point stands - I'd be claiming 25% extra without a need for it.

Reply 566

Compost

Original post by cazzers123

I go to a top performing private school and people there like me have ET but I doubt that if we were in a state school we would have got it- the test that they use to test you measures you against yourself - so you perform a variety of tasks and in a non dyslexic person, your ability to do the tests is similar but if you're dyslexic then you'll be much better at certain tests than others. So far, so fair. But I'm classed as 'exceptional' in som ares and 'average' in others.x

I suspect you're mistaken - though what you say is exactly what the private school just down the road from me used to do. The rules were changed nationally about 8 years ago and now you have to be significantly worse than the majority of the population to get extra time, not just do worse in one area than your other scores.

Reply 567

Dalek1099

Original post by pixie_cafe

Just my experiences with access arrangements:
I have severe anxiety/panic disorder and I often have panic attacks during tests & examinations. Because I am not supposed to leave the room, CAMHS has persuaded the school to allow me extra time so I can have the panic attack, deal with the aftermath, and continue with the exam. When I have the attacks, my hands shake so much that I cannot write, and I feel as if I cannot breathe. I need the extra time so I know that even if I have an attack, I will still be okay. I also have a quieter room, with only 22 people - and if I feel I need it, I can go to a room with only 6 people instead.
Although I sometimes don't need the extra time, there are often occasions when I do, and if I didn't have it, I would almost certainly fail :redface:

You should be put in a room with just yourself or an alternative arrangement like that should be given, no extra time should be given as there may well be strict deadlines for work and performing slower may mean less work will be produced.To some extent this again this something exams test working under pressure which is a skill a lot of employers would want.

Reply 568

Samonia

Original post by OturuDansay

You shouldn't be reaching those grades then? If you need extra time to get an A's in your a levels, you shouldn't be getting it :biggrin:

everyone could get an A in an exam if they had enough time.
Only having slow processing speed should not allow you to have extra time

Extra time is needed. Otherwise it would be like saying people with glasses can't use them in exams because it might give them an advantage and they should be able to get the grades anyway.

Extra time is there to make things fair for people. Because so much is based of exam results it would definitely be unfair to start some students off at a disadvantage. for me, I'm dyslexic too so there's other stuff that goes in to it also.

Reply 569

Ragghorn

I personally don't think exams should have any strict time limits at all - exams should stay at their current lengths but you should be give say 4-5 hours if you wanted to . You would be required to stay at least the first hour or 20% lets say and then you could finish and leave whenever you wanted. I think it should be like this because I believe testing the students knowledge of the content is far more important than seeing how quickly they can do it at the same time. I feel like this would be a much less stressful environment as well as you would actually have time to consider your answers properly . I say this because of the two maths exams I had last week I felt extremely against the clock and therefore panicked losing marks on content I have no problems with when not in a stressful , up against the clock situation . So in that sense I think extra time can be unfair as it can be given to people that can do the exam just as quickly as normal people but gives them more breathing room in terms of timing, but I guess that's down to a problem with how the system hands extra time out instead of the concept itself.

Either way Id prefer no exam time limits as then people like me who panic a lot in exams get to show all what they have learnt. However I guess this would be too expensive and timely to actually implement .

Reply 570

Joshuamarv

Original post by truemiscer

no, as you don't get extra for a job and you cannot compare like for like between people.

Employers ARE required to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees actually.

Extra time just evens up the playing field :smile:

Reply 571

haprybeingright

Original post by sufiyan1999

Dude - I'm pretty sure he's just quoting the rules here. Autism in itself doesn't qualify for extra time, but some of the issues they mention (that autism can result in) do qualify for extra time.

He's saying that people should be assessed on their disability not their label. I.e. case by case.

Reply 572

Tiger Rag

Original post by haprybeingright

That's already the case. It's also the case for every other disability. You don't get extra time because you have a label. You get extra time plus whatever other arrangements you need (such as modified exam papers) because your disability means you need them. I, due to my disabilities also received exam papers on coloured paper and in large print.

Reply 573

username2703735

I believe extra time is fair for those that truly need it. However during my time doing GCSE's and A Levels there were one or two individuals that would get extra time when they openly admitted they exaggerated their need for it and even bragged about how easy it was to "cheat the system".

Reply 574

Arcane1729

There are some cases where I can understand it is necessary. And then there are cases where for example in my university there was a girl who also went to my school we both study maths and both got all A*s- then suddenly maths at university begins to get hard and exams become a struggle and she's getting 2:2's and low 2:1s in first year and all of a sudden she is diagnosed with dyslexia- this merits 25% extra time in my university- I don't really understand how dyslexia has a huge effect on a subject like maths- she was clearly milking the system. If this issue went unnoticed at school it is clearly because it was a mild form of the condition which had negligable effect- very clearly not a serious case at all. In an exam system where time is such a huge constraint 25% extra time is a huge deal breaker- this turns a middle 2:2 into a first class which I find pretty obscene. Sends you from straddling the bottom 40 to straddling the top 40. Indeed she graduated from Oxford University with a 1st class in Mathematics... smh

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 575

Midgeymoo17

Original post by Arcane1729

This depends very much on the cognitive skill in which she is deficient. Unfortunately dyslexia has ended up an umbrella term for more than specific difficulty. Personally my biggest deficiency came in processing speed. This affects English as much as maths as it affects speed at which I can understand the question and the speed at which I can think of how I might attenpt to get from A to B or achieve what the questions asking. In fact my processing speed is so low I have difficulty maintaining a conversation with people cause I can not work with what they are saying fast enough. However, where it is granted solely for lets say reading speed or even worse very poor spelling I have to say that is then milking the system if 25% is claimed in Mathematics.

Reply 576

Midgeymoo17

[QUOTE=OturuDansay;65907672]Glasses is for a physical impairment; which is completely different to dyslexic.
Life isn't fair. If you've got dyslexia etc. that should not entitle you to extra time.
These so called "disabilities" are just excuses for a child doing poorly at school.
Dyslexic came about in richer communities because parents were embarrassed because their child was not as clever as the next one so therefore an excuse called "dyslexia" was made.
Not being taught proper methods to read and write at a young age creates these "disabilities". (Other factors do come in to play as well)

In some cases the dyslexic tendencies are likely originate in physical impairments.
The excuse comment may be true in some cases but in my GCSE exams before my Extra time I achieved 4 A*, 5A's and a B. In fact at new my current school a disproportionate number have these problems and still results are 75% A*-B 98.9% A*-E at A level. Substainally above the national average with a UK to 10% ALPS score- meaning most people progress more than expected at A level in my college rather doing poorly.

Reply 577

Mazzy95

Original post by JordanL_

Lol

Let's shut down the NHS, you've cracked it. People just need to practice away their disabilities. Stupid doctors, what do they know anyway???????

Exactly the right response to some of the narrow-minded people on here! If someone was in a wheelchair and needed help getting in to a building thus needed a ramp, people would be in uproar if they were denied one because of 'equal rights and because everyone should be treated the same.' (Not comparing needing extra time with needing a wheelchair just the most simple response I could think of so the others could maybe begin to understand.)

Reply 578

Mazzy95

Original post by Chmbiogeog

Where should I release to? What is a wheal chair?
Okay we have different opinions... move on.

Stop being passive aggressive about 'The It Man's' spelling and grammar. It doesn't mean that their views are less important just because they may have difficulties in these areas, or that your views should automatically be listened to because your posts are more articulate.

Reply 579

Mazzy95

Original post by annieprincess

I understand some people who get extra time don't need it, but also it's not as simple as just acting dumb. There's a difference between processing information slowly or writing slowly to just being dumb. There may be some people who do get extra time without actually needing it, but then there's people who can claim benefits without actually needing it, or get surgery on the NHS without needing it but to rule it out completely would be setting up those who don't at disadvantage. The issue here with people not needing it is at the hands of the people carrying out assessments.

All in all, though, extra time is completely fair. It's not like there's more people who use extra time and don't need it, than those who do.

And you're completely wrong about everyone in agreement with extra time. Having extra time isn't ensuring that someone will pass or not. If they haven't revised enough, no matter the time they get, they won't pass. And honestly, that's silly. It's not the uneducated that get extra time, and the people who are slower SHOULD be able to get extra time so they aren't at disadvantage. Everything could be outside themselves. They could have had a lousy home environment, a mother who smoked during pregnancy, lack of healthy meals provided at home (or lack of meals at all) that cause them to be slow, putting any disorders aside. That is already putting them at disadvantage.

The people who you deem 'slow' could go on to do great things. A girl who gets extra time because she can't write fast may get the grades to go to university and because a doctor, and save many people's lives. A boy who gets extra time may go on to university and then invent something that we need in this world. The extra time doesn't give them an advantage over everyone else, it just gives them the chance to show their capability, which most people can do in less time.

Also, with the test being in timed conditions, IT'S STILL TIMED. It's not like they have all day to complete a test. They still have to complete it in timed conditions. A friend of mine is dyslexic and suffers with anxiety and she sometimes can't even finish her work in extra time, if she doesn't understand the question or can't remember the key scholars.

Everyone seems so bitter about it. Worry about yourself.

I agree with everything you've said in this post. I wish there were more people that understood on this thread. For some reason a worryingly vast amount of people on this thread think that needing extra time in exams means that they 'don't deserve' to go to uni or that they will automatically be terrible at their job. Apparently somehow there is relevance between needing extra time in exams and doing a job properly. Some are even saying that needing extra time in an exam means that they will need extra time in doing their job. Which is beyond ridiculous in most cases.