Extra Time In Exams-BAH!

Is it me or is it a totally crappy system by which almost anyone can get extra time.

Ive heard many ppl who claim they are dislexic sayin they dont need the extra time, or not as much as they are given.

I reckon giving 25mins extra time to ppl sittin a maths exam is absolutely ridculous.
It doesnt require that much time for them to read the questions...fair enough if theyre dislexic to numbers but chances r they probably arent.

I have a friend who got extra time for being slightly dislexic to words but always admits that it doesnt affect him takin an exam. It was so annoyin wen i came out of the edexcel p3 maths exam almost in tears wen i was expectin to get 100% but fell short wen i couldnt do 24% of the marks in the paper. He comes out after an extra 25mins sayin how he found it challengin but expects to get about 80% wen he was predicted a low B, just because he had longer time to think about it.

The system is unfair. If i was employin someone, i would want to know if they were dislexic before employin them because i mite reconsider their grades.
I have never heard of sum1 with extra time running out of time in an exam. I always hear of people without extra time running out of time.

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Reply 1

Surfing Hamster

I think all maths exams should be 2 hour sessions. The questions are not open ended and so examiners wouldn't have excess amounts to mark. But this way candidates wouldn't feel rushed and make silly mistakes.

For exams such as maths time limits are rediculous - how can you possibly expect to measure someone's ability in a set period of time?! In the real world it's not like that.

Reply 2

Unregistered

I really think they should give 25 min extra for those who want it. when ever i do maths exam i always rush and make silly mistakes which i could have avoided if i had more time to think properly

Reply 3

Unregistered

Yeah..in agreement here. Maths is not the only problem. Us normal ppl r at the disadvantage here.

Reply 4

Surfing Hamster

Yeh.. Surely it would be a truer test of ability to give as much time as you needed. Time constraints suppress peoples abilities and should be increased.

Reply 5

Unregistered

dsylexia? that how its spelt

Reply 6

Unregistered

yeh its well unfair when all these people get extra time for having a cold/stomach ache 2 years ago.

At least their reasons should be consistently reviewed as what happened then doesnt actually effect them now.

Extra time makes such a difference especially in maths/sciences. Theyre bloody hard enuff as it is without people affecting grade boundaries/ scaling because of their "illness/condition". Aaah

Reply 7

hilly

I fully agree. Time should not be a limiting factor.

Some peoples brains work faster than others. It doesn't mean that the slower ones aren't as capable.

A perfect example...One of my fellow maths student is super fast at everything but not the best. In class once we did I rediculously long exam which he finished and I only answered just over half of it. He got about 50% as did I. The point is that I got closer to 100% of what I had done but he only got about 50% but our marks were the same. Don't think he rushed either...he is just super quick!

I've recently had an electronics exam which I did not have time to complete. I wouldn't say any question was particularly difficult but time didn't allow for completion of all questions.

Not fair!

Reply 8

Unregistered

I think you are completely wrong on this issue. I am dyslexic and get extra time in exams. I am always going to be disadvantaged in life and getting extra time is a way of balencing the scales. It is self centered of you to think like this. Why don't you just concentrate on your own exams and stop worrying about what other people are doing. People only get extra time if they are entitled to it.

Reply 9

mensandan

I don't care if anyone gets extra time, I really wouldn't want it. I mean you tend to finish these 1.5 hour modules early. Sometimes really early but normally with 10~15 mins to check your work. If people need the extra time, let them have it. You should be allowed to leave when you have finished be that after 30 or 150 mins.

Reply 10

Unregistered

Given unlimited time in subjects like English or History it would be pretty hard not to get full marks.
I think that everyone should be given exactly the same ammount of time otherwise it's just not fair.

Reply 11

Surfing Hamster

BUT surely only full marks would be gained by the abled students!? Given endless time, someone without the ability would find it very difficult to score full marks.

Reply 12

Unregistered

Yes, the abled students would get better marks than the less able. But isnt that the point of exams?
I personally would do alot better given unlimited time.

Reply 13

hilly

I'm not saying dyslexic students shouldn't have longer.

Everyone works at different speeds. Some fast, some slow. Its been the case since first school. I'm personally one of the slower. (not at understanding...just at carrying out)

So, when you sit an exam knowing you know everything on it but for the sake a 15 minutes or so you could not show it you get annoyed. In a subect like maths or a science with limited answers (unlike essay writting) why should time be a limiting factor.

Surely there are different levels of dyslexicia. EVERYONE works at different speeds but this isn't a measure of their capability.

If the exams are going to be run on a tight time limit surely this time should be graduated to accomidate for everyones different working speed. As you can imagine...not really possible...So, the solution...

GIVE PEOPLE MORE TIME!

Reply 14

Kate anne

i agree with u completely 'peeved off pete'. apparently it doesn't even mention that u had extra time on the gcse certificates! it's so unfair.

in maths it's silly coz u don't need 2 write that much down and it just lets u have longer 2 think. i always run out of time but i think that's the idea of some of the exams, there's meant 2 be time pressure.

also it's not a fair judge of your academic ability if u r given extra time. it annoys me so much. i think the 'extra time' system is well out of control. how do the exam board know where to cross the line with classifying dyslexics now?

kate

Reply 15

Unregistered

Well sorry but its not just about writing, this is the common misconception. People who are dyslexic dont have the ability to work as quickly as other people when they are writing or thinking. As someone has mentioned earlier most intelligent people finish on time anyway as the exams are geared so that people have enough time to finish them. Dyslexic people of the same ability need extra time to do them and as i have said before this is just an attempt at balencing the scales. If dyslexic people were not given extra time they would be even more disadvantaged than they already are. I know this is difficult to understand if you are not dyslexic yourself but just put yourself in my position. Wouldn't you want extra time if you were dyslexic?

Louise

Reply 16

Unregistered

can i also just say that you must be worried about your own grades to get so worked up about other people having extra time.

Reply 17

hilly

does anyone listen to me?

Reply 18

mensandan

Why can't you leave early if you have finished? I mean like after 30 mins or so to prevent overlaps with other schools. You must admit that some exams have been easy/fast (not same for everyone) I would have liked to leave P1 early (after bout 35 mins) so I could do another hour of P3 revision (hey, it could have helped!!) Or why couldn't I hand my paper in and then revise from my notes etc. Seems like a total waste of time to me. Must admit, would have liked 10 more mins in P3 to check my answers (check the were completely wron, I mean, it would have been nice to look over it to see how many marks I'd missed)

Reply 19

Leekey

What really annoys me is how they screw up on the time limits sooooo badly. In P1 I had about 25mins to spare at the end of the exam which I thought meant I had messed up good and proper but apparently everone experienced this. Then I go into what should have been the "easy" D1 exam today and find that with 4 minutes remaining, I have 2 big questions left. Could they not just let you work until you are done (within reason - you cant spend all day in there). Surely this would still be fair on everyone because while you are in there you cant revise or look stuff up so you are still being tested on what you know.