Guidance for marking scripts with ‘sympathetic
consideration for spelling and grammar’
Purpose of these guidelines: To offer a practical aid to help lecturers when
marking the work of a student who has been identified as having a Specific Learning
Difficulty (SpLD), such as dyslexia.
Academic standards: Course Directors and Module Co-ordinators are not being
asked to lower or undermine their academic standards by making accommodations
for students with a SpLD.
The key challenge is to identify what is being assessed in each piece of
coursework/exam question and to make reasonable adjustments to areas that are
not absolutely necessary for the assessment process. It is, therefore, essential that
markers of any given script are clear about the objectives and the learning outcomes
of an assignment/exam question.
These guidelines should be used alongside the marking criteria for the course, but
not supersede it in respect to core competencies.
Assessing competence in language or spelling: Where competence with
language is being actively assessed, or where correct use and spelling of certain
vocabulary is required, it is up to academic staff to demonstrate why this is so.
Lecturers should seek clarification from colleagues and/or professional bodies if they
are unsure to what extent use of language and spelling is crucial to the marking of an
assignment/exam question.
In some cases, accurate spelling, grammar or structure may form explicit parts of
assessment. Programmes of study that require students to demonstrate that they
have a certain level of competency in aspects of reading, writing and translation (in
either English or a foreign language) and where grammar and spelling are core
competencies of a course, a student’s work must be marked on the basis of
accuracy in the language and therefore this advice will not apply.
Information for students: Students need to be made aware of expectations for any
given piece of coursework/exam. It is also crucial that students are told how many
marks they may lose because of errors.
Guidance notes: When it is accepted that the use of language and spelling is not a
crucial to the marking of an assignment/exam paper and will not affect learning
outcomes, the following guidance can be given:

Markers should discount, as far as possible, errors in spelling, grammar and
punctuation and instead mark for content, ideas and critical acumen.

Mark for content and information rather than spelling. Do not discredit poor
handwriting.
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
Written work should be marked with an emphasis on assessing ideas,
understanding and knowledge of the topic.

Markers should make allowances for unorthodox narratives and for problems
with organisation, where these do not hinder understanding.

Mark for ideas and knowledge rather than presentation, with the intention of
giving credit for the student’s achievements in meeting the learning
outcomes, by focusing on the content and understanding of the topic rather
than concentrating on written expression.

The grammatical construction or written style of expression may obscure the
clarity of the student’s ideas. In these cases, decide whether the intended
content can be understood and give credit accordingly for this aspect of the
work.

Always assume that the student does not wish other students to know about
their SpLD and never make comments about a student’s SpLD or the support
they are getting in a public setting. Many students with a SpLD have
experienced negative reactions to having dyslexia and prefer not to disclose
to others.

Markers would normally provide detailed feedback to all students for
coursework. This is particularly important for students with s SpLD. It is
worth commenting on where the student has done well and explain why
some work is good. Comments will be most effective if they are clear
explanations of what is required and what is wrong. It would help the student
improve future performance if examples can be given of how a point can be
developed - explain how the work could be improved. Be explicit about
specific problems so that the student can see a way forward. Be supportive
and positive.
Procedure: This guidance is relevant to:
•
All submitted written work, examination or test scripts that are produced by a
student who you have been informed has an SpLD, such as dyslexia, and
•
You have been advised by Disability Services, via a Reasonable Adjustments
Recommendations (RAR) email (which is sent to Course Directors and Heads of
School), that is recommended that the student should receive sympathetic
consideration for their written work.
This guidance focuses on students with SpLDs, such as dyslexia; however, on
occasion, the recommendation is made for students who have a brain injury or for
someone who is deaf and has language acquisition difficulties.
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For the purpose of anonymous marking, the student will be advised to attach a
‘sticker’ to an assignment or examination script, stating:
For the attention of the marker
This coursework/examination script has been written by a student with dyslexia.
Please mark with sympathetic consideration for errors of spelling and grammar.
To validate the use of such ‘stickers’, markers can access a list of the B00 numbers
for students entitled to such dispensation, from their School and/or the Course
Director. Markers can then cross reference to ensure that students using the
stickers are entitled to such a reasonable adjustment.
Why is ‘consideration’ given to students with a SpLD ?
It is not intended that students with SpLDs receive favourable treatment, are placed
at an advantage over their peers, or that the academic standards within the
University are lowered.
Students with SpLDs, such as dyslexia, often require reasonable adjustments to the
standard assessment procedures (such as their scripts being marked with
sympathetic consideration for poor spelling and grammar) in recognition of the
University’s obligations under the Special Educational Needs and Disability (NI)
Order 2005 (as amended).
Students with SpLD, such as dyslexia
Dyslexia is a hidden disability that affects approximately 10% of the population to
varying degrees. Dyslexia is best thought of as a continuum, not a distinct category,
and there are no clear cut-off points. Dyslexia occurs across the range of intellectual
abilities and is not an indication of intelligence, or lack thereof
Each student is an individual and so it is important to recognise that the effects and
impact of having a SpLD, such as dyslexia, will vary, both in nature and severity,
from student to student.
Students with SpLDs, such as dyslexia, may have difficulty with one, several, or all of
the following:

Spelling: erratic and inconsistent spelling; inappropriate use of phonetic
spelling choices; telescoping polysyllabic words; misuse of homophones;
letter reversals; using basic, easily spelt vocabulary that does not reflect their
true range of vocabulary; persistent or severe problems with spelling.

Punctuation and grammar: misuse or omission of punctuation marks; failure
to identify sentence boundaries, with possible overuse of conjunctions; short,
unsophisticated sentences lacking complexity; long rambling sentences;
inappropriate grammatical constructions.

Structuring assignments/essays: difficulties can exist at the level of both
sentences and paragraphs, leading to a repetition of information in different
parts of the work and a failure to develop a sustained and detailed discussion;
there can be unusual links between topics that reflect a student’s lateral and
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creative thinking skills but do not meet the learning outcomes; scripts can lack
logical sequencing of ideas.

Handwritten scripts: untidy, immature handwriting; inability to use cursive
style; confusion of visually similar letters; misuse of capital letters; words
omitted, especially in situations with pressures of time or stress, such as
exams.

Recalling rote information.

Organising work - poor general presentation skills.

Expressing ideas in a conventional academic style of writing.

Identifying and including only relevant information.

Adhering to recommended word limits.

Proof reading
Further information:
University of Ulster Disability Services
http://www.studentsupport.ulster.ac.uk/disability/disability.html
The Higher Education Academy: Dyslexia and Higher Education: Accessibility Issues
Sharon Lockley
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/resources/database/id416_dyslexia
_and_higher_education.pdf
British Dyslexia Association
http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk
Dyslexia Action
http://dyslexiaaction.org.uk
Association of Dyslexia Specialists in Higher Education
http://adshe.org.uk
AchieveAbility: Breaking barriers to higher education for students with specific
learning difficulties
http://www.achieveability.org.uk
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