Do you think extra time in exams is fair?

Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>

Scroll to see replies

No, a few of my friends have extra time for exams which they really don't need. They perform the exact same when they do and don't have the extra time. As for the rest, you're not going to get extra time in a real work place, if your boss what's it done by a certain time, you have it done then, not getting an extension.

How exactly does this not work in the real world? I have a job and my work even though they are really strict on absences work around my illness great for me and give me any time I need for hospital time and appointments. So it is fair and it is needed, there's exactly 12 days until my first exam and i'm stuck in hospital and my work have given me leave for this and my school are working round my exams for me with the extra time, so for the 'rest of us' we do need help and we need extra time you might go through chronic pain and fatigue but if you did you would understand a lot better than saying it isn't fair when it is just because me and many other people suffer doesn't mean we can't go on in life

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 301

absaroke

I think it is fair that some people get extra time as they may not even be able to produce the content of the exam within the period of time given, if the time given in exams was more sparing then a low handwriting or cognition or reading speed would be a less significant disadvantage. As for me i recieve extra time for handwritting speed- which is a genuine issue for me as i damaged my wrist a while back and it becomes agravated when i write quickly, and for thought processing speed, in this comment alone i think i have spent about 40 minutes thinking about what i wanted to say, this meaning i would have nothing to present in an ordanairy exam. I have never finnished a test without extra time, therefore if i was to be marked, i dont know what would happen with half the paper missing. Last year in the core science GCSE exams while my school send department was still applying for extra time, i only completed 2/3 of the paper, doing only 2 questions on the physics section at the back. I thought i failed, because i didnt even get a chance to pen the back questions which from a glance i knew how to do. Luckily i must have gotten nearly 100% on the chemistry and biology so inspite of that i got an A. However it was really frustrating because i put a lot of effort in and i just wanted to be tested fairly, whatever that meant, and i do not think not even having a chance to get to the back questions was fair because i could do them, i was held back by issues in translating thoughts onto the paper.
There is nothing wrong with an A, its what i wanted, but the stress of going home without doing any physics made me terrified, i could not see how i could come out of it ok and i felt failed by the system.

In a workplace somone like me wouldnt mind doing work at home, inorder to catch up on written pieces, if thats what it takes, i hope somone would value the quality of work too, not just the speed at which you can through it out. i also gather work is mainly done on computers these days, which reduces time issues for most extra- time students.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 302

Gapyearstudent54

Original post by richpanda

so..? are you going to be able to ask for more time later in life? If you were working to crack a code or hand in a project that needed to be done urgently, you can't just get extra time

someones bitter that they don't get extra time...
But yeah, your argument is a bit ridiculous, and why on earth is anyone cracking a code or handing in a project later in life?

Reply 303

Emmz93

I never had extra time when i was at school, undiagnosed with autism but now being 22 and retaking my GCSEs math and English, I have been granted extra time due to having it diagnosed now. It probably won't make any difference with my grades, but I felt that the changes put in place for me helped me feel more calm. I can understand those who think it is miss used though

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 304

Popadom12345

Original post by Amyx999

Of course it's fair? I've never had extra time in any of my exams up until this year. I've just been diagnosed with hypermobilty syndrome and arthritis so without extra time and a scribe I wouldn't be able to do anything as my hands are now so swollen I can't hold a pen. In my last years exams I was never diagnosed and never got this which meant I was never able to finish any of my papers fair enough people who don't have extra time are under pressure to finish exams but so am I at least you can write properly, oh and i'm Scottish so I get an extra 15 minutes for every hour of an exam

How old are you?!?!?!?

Reply 305

Popadom12345

Extra time should be scrapped and everyone should have the same opportunities

Reply 306

Popadom12345

Does anyone have academic excellence in their school??

Reply 307

Tiger Rag

Original post by Popadom12345

Extra time should be scrapped and everyone should have the same opportunities

But if I didn't have extra time, I wouldn't have the same opportunties. I have severe issues with reading and can only read (even with reading glasses and large print) for 15 minutes before I get tired and have to take a break. Therefore, if I didn't have extra time, I wouldn't be able to work to my full potential.

Reply 308

annieprincess

I don't think it's really unfair at all. If all of you complaining about not getting extra time really and truly needed it, I'm sure you would get it.

Most people finish exams early. Honestly, I wouldn't want to have an extra 25 minutes on top of everything. I hate even finishing 10 minutes early. But, that's just me..

I honestly don't think it's unfair, because a lot of people do really need it. Two of my dyslexic friends get extra time, and it's not even like they come on top with the best grades with it, either, so what's the problem? It's not putting them at an advantage. If you really don't ever finish on time, then do something about it and get extra time.

Exams should be about your knowledge on the subject, not about the time given. Most people finish exams within the given time, so what's the point having extra time on top of that? I get it, some people may find it difficult and not be allowed extra time, but that's just something you have to do about working on your timings.

Some people are truly disadvantaged, and I know that my friends who do get extra time couldn't write nearly as much as me, or at the standard that I write, or process information as quickly as I do in the same time frame. Obviously there are people who manage to get it without needing really needing it, but scrapping it altogether would mean those who DID need it would be at disadvantage.

This is like saying someone who broke their writing wrist shouldn't get a computer to type it on, because equal opportunities. Lol.

Reply 309

*JustARandomGuy*

Personally I find it extremely unfair. I know someone (who is apperently dyslexic) but gets A* in everything... Yet he gets extra time... Pfff.

Reply 310

Jazzyboy

I think it's extremely unfair, and that's coming from someone who actually got extra time.(though I did briefly try to convince my school to not give me extra time, but they basically just told me that since they're offering it, I may as well take it xD)

Extra time isn't really going to help most people with disabilities. What they really need is better resources during the exams, e.g. if they're dyslexic, they need coloured overlays and papers with a larger font; or if their problem is that they can't handwrite, they should be given keyboards. At the end of the day, 20 minutes extra isn't going to have much of an impact of you if you have loads of trouble with reading or writing, or if you have trouble understanding questions. Those problems need to be cured by providing specialised exam papers and more resources, not by giving people a little extra time to abuse.

I know some people use extra time because they have trouble staying focused for a long time; but frankly, that's one problem that most employers actually can't cater for, so students with that problem just need to learn to deal with their problem. And regardless, it would probably be better if the schools split their exams up into blocks, and maybe gave them a few extra minutes to get back into the exam after each block.

Reply 311

fruitpastilles

Original post by ♥Samantha♥

I think there shouldn't be extra time after secondary school. Like why give extra time in university that's not teaching you to deal with real life. Like if your going to be say a doctor, if you have a dying patient who needs surgery you can't just go "soz I'm dyslexic give me 25% extra time to think this through".

I feel like you're missing something here, I can't speak for all people who have extra time, but as a person with a SLD, dsygraphia, and related dyslexia, it's not about needing to think, it's about the amount of time I have to spend trying to figure if I've written what I meant to write, if what I thought I was writing is what I've actually written down, if it's legible, if it's spelt right, a lot of people with dyslexia take extra time so they have longer to read the questions.

I'm going to university to become a vet, having a SPD will not impact my ability to practice as a vet. I can't write legibly, some exams force me to try so I have to spend the time writing each letter legibly, in same amount of time it would take you to write a word. When I'm employed this won't be a problem, everything is done on computers, but this doesn't work for exams, if I didn't have extra time, I wouldn't pass my exams, because no one would be able to read what I've written

Reply 312

Jazzyboy

Original post by fruitpastilles

Why can't you get a word processor for the exams? Just curious.

Reply 313

fruitpastilles

Original post by Jazzyboy

Me again adding my opinion to things, I can't write legibly, for some of my exams I use a laptop and word process, but have you tried completing a maths exam on word? doesn't work. Scribe? doesn't work. Sometimes you have to write, if I didn't have extra time for my maths exams, no one would know what it is that I've written

Reply 314

ewitsvicky

Yeah extra timed is fair on people with a certain disability but I think they should be more careful with who they give extra time (some people don't even need it since they have no disability ... they're literally given more time because they have bad grades and then there's some people who really need it but aren't given any attention as their disability isn't as known or serious ... I don't think there should be exceptions in extra time or putting one disability over others tbh if you're gonna do something at least do it right ....

Reply 315

Tiger Rag

Original post by Jazzyboy

I have some of the difficulties you mention and get things like coloured paper, larger font, I've sometimes used a computer instead, had rest breaks, etc. I've got a lot of problems with reading and no, the 20 minutes doesn't make that much difference. Yes, it means I'm not rushing. But really, it's not that much.

Reply 316

username853993

I don't see how it's unfair, it doesn't give you any extra knowledge or hints it just gives you time to write things down

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 317

lascelles101

yes it helps people with disadvantages. it puts people on an equal footing

Reply 318

gcsestudent3856

No I don't think it's fair. Exams are to test your ability. It's not fair that they get extra help. A group of people that I know in my school don't actually need extra time, but they forged it somehow, by readin really slowly and deliberately answering it wrong during their testing a for extra time. So now they have extra time and it's really unfair. Even if you need it or not, I don't think they should have extra time 😡

Reply 319

gcsestudent3856

Original post by lascelles101

yes it helps people with disadvantages. it puts people on an equal footing

So what's the point in taking exams? If it's not testing everyone's abilities? They are getting helped, so there's no point in taking exams if they get help.