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Extra time in exams

Poll

Should people with learning difficulties be given extra time in exams?

Just wanted to know some general opinions really...

Is it right that people with conditions such as dyslexia should be given extra time in exams? Think of it from the side of the employer, they're not going to give someone an extra 40% time or so for a job to be completed compared with an employee without said condition. If they were to, it would be bad for our economy in terms of competitiveness with other countries. So, in my opinion, A level grades are giving a "fake" indication of intelligence which disadvantages people that aren't given extra time...

On the other hand, I can see how it's unfair to expect someone with some form of learning difficulties to work at the same pace as others.

I'm not looking for negs, positives/pos'? :confused: or reps I just want some general opinion, what do you guys think?

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Reply 1
In the workplace they do have to make reasonable adjustments just like in exam conditions apparently :smile:
Reply 2
When in the workplace is one going to write an essay under times conditions?


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
Conditions such as dyslexia have many forms, you could be bad at reading, but I know a dyslexic doctor and he is amazing at science. We can't scrap everything in the name of "productivity" what ever happened to "morals" and "helping humanity".
You will say that's in an "ideal" world, I say "lets try and create that".
Don't victimize people because they were born with learning problems. Once we start doing that, we are devolving as a human race on so many levels, it makes me sick.

I'm glad extra time exists. We should help everyone who needs it.

End of message.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 4
I knew people at school that had disabilities that had little to no effect on their ability to sit an exam. They joked about how they got so much extra time that they didn't need. Extra time is necessary but it's not scrutinised enough.
Work places do have deadlines, but they aren't as strict as exam times apart from journalism perhaps. But my boyfriend wouldn't go for a job like journalism where you have to invesitagte a story and write a report within a couple of hours so it can go in tomorrow paper or whatever. He is dyslexic and plans on doing a job where he doesn't have to write, but his reading and maths is fine although sometimes he's a bit slow reading.

I do think it's fair that some of them get extra time, but some of the amounts of times extra they get is rediculous. My boyfriend is honest and decided not to use a scribe or extra time in his maths exam. Maths is mainly numbers, which he is fine with, he just reads the question a couple of times to make sure he understands what it's asking (which isn't always easy at A-level).
(edited 11 years ago)
I dont think you should get 'thinking time' but if your a slow writer and you physically cant write what you want to say in the given space then you should get extra time to reflect what you know or get a laptop or say for Dyslexics who need more time to read questions.

Getting 25% extra time wont really help you 'think' you either know it or you dont when it comes to the exam.
Reply 7
Original post by AverageExcellence
I dont think you should get 'thinking time' but if your a slow writer and you physically cant write what you want to say in the given space then you should get extra time to reflect what you know or get a laptop or say for Dyslexics who need more time to read questions.

Getting 25% extra time wont really help you 'think' you either know it or you dont when it comes to the exam.


so you don't agree with, say, 40% extra time for a maths exam which requires little writing?
Reply 8
Original post by R4INBOW
When in the workplace is one going to write an essay under times conditions?


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App


When do people in the workplace have to work to specific deadlines? All the time
Original post by Stevo F
so you don't agree with, say, 40% extra time for a maths exam which requires little writing?


No i wouldnt agree with that. It would hardly be fair if someone like that got A B and someone who had no extra help got a C
Reply 10
Original post by blueray
Conditions such as dyslexia have many forms, you could be bad at reading, but I know a dyslexic doctor and he is amazing at science.


You see, this is exactly what I'm talking about, people who have problems with say writing quickly are being given 40% extra time in say a maths or physics exam which requires very little writing. It just seems mad to me.
Reply 11
Original post by AverageExcellence
No i wouldnt agree with that. It would hardly be fair if someone like that got A B and someone who had no extra help got a C


it infuriates me when they put up the finish times of exams at the front of the hall (like today actually for a maths exam) and I dont even have enough time to finish the exam and I see some people have got another 40 minutes to do it in :/
Maybe I'm being unfair but this is just how I feel.
Original post by Stevo F
it infuriates me when they put up the finish times of exams at the front of the hall (like today actually for a maths exam) and I dont even have enough time to finish the exam and I see some people have got another 40 minutes to do it in :/
Maybe I'm being unfair but this is just how I feel.


You should apply for extra time, then deliberately write slowly. Theyll almost certainly give you extra time. They practically give it away!
Reply 13
Clearly Stevo F isn't Dyslexic.

firstly, as a Dyslexic person I know that it is 25% NOT "40%".
secondly, If you are not dyslexic then your opinion on the matter is not important because you don't know what it is like to read and have words move on the page or have to take excessive amounts of time to learn the simplest things.

While being dyslexic can cause the need for extra time, in other areas we can be better than average such as creative arts, film studies etc.
Original post by Stevo F
So, in my opinion, A level grades are giving a "fake" indication of intelligence which disadvantages people that aren't given extra time...

On the other hand, I can see how it's unfair to expect someone with some form of learning difficulties to work at the same pace as others.

I'm not looking for negs, positives/pos'? :confused: or reps I just want some general opinion, what do you guys think?


For students with extra time (and are deserving of it), A-level grades give an accurate indication of intelligence because they were disadvantaged when the majority of candidates weren't.

But I do agree that the process of applying for extra time isn't anywhere near stringent enough. When I qualified for extra time, it was because I'd got a note from a neurologist, who'd carried out batteries of tests on me, and concluded that extra time was necessary for me to be on a level playing field with everyone else.

I get my extra time due to dyscalculia, which is a pain in the arse seeing as all my subjects are maths/science-based. However, when I did Spanish last year, I was given extra time for that as well :s-smilie: It really wasn't needed, and in that case, was unfair on everyone else. I deliberately didn't use my extra time in that exam, and I think schools on the whole need to be stricter when implementing stuff like that.

So I think extra time is very much needed for those who are genuinely disadvantaged, but the qualification/implementation process is way too lax. By all means improve the system, don't destroy it!
I agree with it but as someone else said it should be checked with they actually need it. It could be a huge advantage, as with my law exams an extra 20 minutes could give you the chance to possibly get yourself a lot more marks.
Reply 16
Original post by Finn77x
Clearly Stevo F isn't Dyslexic.

firstly, as a Dyslexic person I know that it is 25% NOT "40%".
secondly, If you are not dyslexic then your opinion on the matter is not important because you don't know what it is like to read and have words move on the page or have to take excessive amounts of time to learn the simplest things.

While being dyslexic can cause the need for extra time, in other areas we can be better than average such as creative arts, film studies etc.


No **** Sherlock for guessing I'm not dyslexic

Did I say it was 25% extra time for a dyslexic person? No
And as a person who sits the same exams as someone who does get an additional 40% time (I don't know their specific learning difficulty) I know that some people do. (They put up the % extra at the front with the start and finish times)

And at the same time, I am better than average at maths and science based subjects but am awful at creative arts, does that mean I should be given extra time if I was to do an exam in that?
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 17
You said it was "40%" and I corrected you by saying it was 25%.

people who get 40% extra time are not dyslexic as there is a set time for a specific need and the set time for a dyslexic person is 25%.

You should only be given extra time if you are tested and proven to have a disability or a learning difficulty of some kind. If you do not have a disability or learning difficulty then no you should not get extra time because your lacking knowledge for a subject.

Extra time is awarded to those who are tested and proven to have difficulties or disability and need it.

Plus since your not dyslexic, you should be able to complete your exam in the amount of time given, if you cannot then it is your fault for a weak revision strategy.
Reply 18
Original post by Finn77x
You said it was "40%" and I corrected you by saying it was 25%.

people who get 40% extra time are not dyslexic as there is a set time for a specific need and the set time for a dyslexic person is 25%.

You should only be given extra time if you are tested and proven to have a disability or a learning difficulty of some kind. If you do not have a disability or learning difficulty then no you should not get extra time because your lacking knowledge for a subject.

Extra time is awarded to those who are tested and proven to have difficulties or disability and need it.

Plus since your not dyslexic, you should be able to complete your exam in the amount of time given, if you cannot then it is your fault for a weak revision strategy.


I said 40% was for a learning difficulty, I never said it was for a dyslexic, how many times do I have to say this, did you even bother reading my post or just read what was convenient for you for me to have put?

It isn't possible to "prove" someone has some learning difficulties and I know some people that get extra time without any problems...

Its nothing to do with a weak revision strategy, I do not find it easy to do a C4 maths paper and be able to check it in the given time. I never said I was a genius I'm just making the point I think it's unfair for someone that has problems writing quickly getting lots of extra time in a subject like maths.
Reply 19
Ha, it is possible to prove if someone has a learning difficulty. Go research it or at least get a good understanding of the topic before you post about it.

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