The Student Room Group

Extra time on exams

Why is English not being your first language not a good enough reasons to have extra time in your exams? It clearly puts you at a disadvantage, especially under time pressure.
Reply 1
Original post by paledollxi
Why is English not being your first language not a good enough reasons to have extra time in your exams? It clearly puts you at a disadvantage, especially under time pressure.

I'm not sure. I suppose you make a good point if I'm being honest. For Extra Time, it's a lot of work to actually get it. If you have it for disabilities, you have to go through tests and if it's for medical reasons, you have to have proof from doctors (I went through both of these) and they are still reasonably hard on you. The government claim "it is the student's choice to have attended this particular academic institution, and they chose to attend an institution where the spoken language is not their native language" but I do not necessarily agree as England don't have many native speaking schools and it's a legal requirement to attend. I'm really sorry :frown:

However, if you have attended English school since birth...that's a different kind of argument because you could say that the language should have been picked up. It just depends on what age you started speaking the second language and why you are in that country.
(edited 2 years ago)
Original post by paledollxi
Why is English not being your first language not a good enough reasons to have extra time in your exams? It clearly puts you at a disadvantage, especially under time pressure.

You go to a English speaking school, a school where English is the only language used to teach to all students just like you... Why should someone get extra time just because it is their second language? You have all been taught the content in the same language in the first place.
Reply 3
Original post by Sav055
I'm not sure. I suppose you make a good point if I'm being honest. For Extra Time, it's a lot of work to actually get it. If you have it for disabilities, you have to go through tests and if it's for medical reasons, you have to have proof from doctors (I went through both of these) and they are still reasonably hard on you. The government claim "it is the student's choice to have attended this particular academic institution, and they chose to attend an institution where the spoken language is not their native language" but I do not necessarily agree as England don't have many native speaking schools and it's a legal requirement to attend. I'm really sorry :frown:

However, if you have attended English school since birth...that's a different kind of argument because you could say that the language should have been picked up. It just depends on what age you started speaking the second language and why you are in that country.

Yeah, I came to the UK not too long ago.
Reply 4
Original post by Mehvij12345
You go to a English speaking school, a school where English is the only language used to teach to all students just like you... Why should someone get extra time just because it is their second language? You have all been taught the content in the same language in the first place.

Why should I be at the same level to someone who's lived in the UK all their life? I could have moved here not long, and even if you are taught the content in the same language in the first place you struggle to understand the question. because of language level.
Original post by paledollxi
Yeah, I came to the UK not too long ago.

Your school should have mentioned this in your UCAS reference etc so Unis may be sympathetic,
Unfortunately it is not a reason to get extra time in exams.
Reply 6
Regulations say https://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/regulations-and-guidance/ (5.2.1)
Extra time will not be allowed if a candidate’s literacy difficulties are primarily caused by English, Irish or Welsh not being his/her first language.

You can get a dictionary and extra time to be able to consult the dictionary, only for GCSE level and below, if you have moved to this country within the previous 2 years speaking no English.
(edited 2 years ago)

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