Notes for examiners – assessment of students in examinations and guidelines for
continuous assessment for students who have difficulties with reading, spelling and /
or writing.
Exam Policy, Trinity College Dublin
Please refer to ‘Notes for examiners – assessment of
examinations for students who have difficulties with
reading, spelling and / or writing’
http://www.tcd.ie/disability/docs/Examguidelines.doc
Introduction
Marking Guidelines inform the examiner that the student, due to the nature of his/her
disability, may have a particular difficulty with reading, spelling, grammar and written
expression, and provide a framework for marking the scripts of such students. Marking
Guidelines apply to timed examinations only. If a core component of assessment is that of
competence in spelling, grammar and written expression, it is not possible to disregard
these elements (for example, languages, journalism).
The purpose of this document is to raise awareness amongst examiners if they are having
difficulty correcting an examination script of a student who has difficulties with reading,
spelling and / or writing. This document does not ask examiners to compensate these
students by giving them additional marks because they have a disability. It asks examiners
to understand that, even with additional supports put in place in examinations, the student’s
disabilities may prevent them from reaching their full potential.
Students who have difficulties with reading, spelling and / or writing as a result of their
disability, are at a disadvantage when assessment takes the form of written examinations
under timed conditions. Under such conditions they are not able to use their normal
technological aids, nor adopt the extensive drafting and redrafting strategies they would use
for assignments. The purpose of the sticker is to draw such a disadvantage to the attention
of examiners, and to refer them to these marking guidelines.
Procedure for granting examination accommodations
Students must register with the Disability Service and submit supporting documentation
(medical evidence from a consultant).
The Disability Service will conduct a Needs Assessment for each student requesting
registration.
Students with reading, spelling and / or writing difficulties may be entitled to an extra 10
minutes per hour in exams to read and understand questions in an examination paper, or to
complete their responses. Some students may require the use of a human or electronic
reader.
Some students may require the use of word-processing facilities in addition to extra time,
depending on speed and legibility of handwriting.
Common errors associated with reading, spelling and / or writing difficulties
Reading
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underdeveloped word development skills;
comprehension and retention difficulties;
slow reading rate and/or difficulty in modifying rate;
word omission;
difficulties with processing print, also known as ‘visual stress’ or ‘scotopic sensitivity
syndrome’.
Spelling
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underdeveloped visual memory for words;
limited recall of spelling patterns;
letter sequencing errors.
omission or transposition of letters, syllables and words e.g. siad for said.
using the wrong tense in writing though not when speaking
confusing ‘homophones’ which/witch, two/to/too, here/hear etc.
Students may have developed strategies for mastering new course-specific terminology.
However, the fatigue or stress which often exists under examination conditions may result
in poor written expression.
Written Expression
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inability to copy accurately;
inconsistent syntax, sentence formation and paragraph construction;
incorrect use of punctuation;
restricted vocabulary.
greater difficulty expressing ideas in writing than talking
construction of ideas and answers may not show a logical linguistic connection
Some students have significant difficulty with handwriting skills and/or an apparent
disregard for writing conventions, as a function of motor co-ordination difficulties.
Handwriting
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poor legibility of handwriting and presentation
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writing may be extremely slow, disjointed and untidy
mis-use of upper and lower case letters
may print words or use a semi-cursive script
difficulty taking down information from books or boards accurately
note taking in lectures is often an area of difficulty
Despite gaining entry to the higher education sector, students with mathematical
difficulties may continue to have difficulty with setting out problems coherently and
distinguishing between mathematical signs such as (-) and (+).
Marking and feedback of examinations
The following points regarding assessment of examinations for learners with reading,
spelling and / or writing difficulties, are commonly used across the HE sector in both the UK
and Ireland:
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read fast, looking for ideas, understanding and knowledge.
ignore mistakes in punctuation, spelling or grammar - do not comment on
these mistakes unless part of the assessment criteria.
do not penalise poor handwriting.
write legibly and use uncomplicated English.
explain clearly any comments made.
be sensitive towards individuals and their work as many students with specific
learning difficulties will have experienced negative reactions throughout their
educational lives.
consider whether the purpose of the examination question is to assess competence
in writing essay type answers. If this is not the case, bullet point answers may be
acceptable.
Marking and feedback of assignments
What To Do
Rationale
Assess or discuss the level of
correction that the learner will be
able to use effectively.
Students will be able to tell you
what “works” for them.
Read quickly to assess ideas,
understanding & knowledge,
ignoring grammar, spelling &
punctuation errors, without making
corrections or comments.
Holistic thinking does not lend itself
to the linear nature of words;
reading quickly may enable the
reader to access the holistic pattern
of thought.
Comment on where the learner has
done well and explain why a
particular aspect of the work is
good, rather than/as well as being
critical.
Models of good practice and
correct usage are easier to retain
and replicate; some students find it
difficult to “read between the lines”.
Explain what is required and what
went wrong; use clear explicit
English avoiding innuendo,
sarcasm and complex sentences;
avoid using grammatical terms.
The student will be unlikely to know
how to correct an error without
some guidance or explanation; they
are often unfamiliar with
grammatical terms/rules.
Inform the learner if you are
marking for ideas, understanding
and knowledge and ignoring
spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Absence of lots of corrections (they
are used to a lot!) may create a
false impression of improvement
and can be demoralising when reappraisal occurs.
If you decide to mark for spelling,
grammar and punctuation avoid
marking every error - select and
indicate about four types of error.
Numerous corrections can be
demoralising; simply correcting
spelling and grammar will not lead
to improvement - helping the
learner identify types of error
together with models of correct
usage will help.
Use one colour pen to comment on
ideas, understanding and
knowledge and a different colour
for spelling, punctuation and
grammar. Avoid using red pens.
Anything which helps to
differentiate functions of words is
useful. Red often has negative
associations from school days and
can be demoralising.
Use highlighter pens to indicate
which areas of text “belong
together” if you want to indicate
where changes in structure or
organisation are necessary.
Anything which aids differentiation
of text is helpful; colour is instantly
recognisable and will give the
learner an additional sense of
control over the text.
Further information on how to support students with specific learning difficulties effectively in
third level education can be found on the TCD Disability web page at
http://www.tcd.ie/disability/teaching-info/awareness-info/learning.php
Guidelines for students and staff on the modification of examination and assessment
arrangements for students with disabilities are available at
https://www.tcd.ie/academicregistry/exams/assets/local/exams-for-disability-students.pdf