Does your child use a laptop at school due to bad handwriting? How did you get the school to agree?

[Zenyattadottir]

Ds is 16 and has terrible handwriting. I've been advised to try and get him to be allowed to use a laptop in exams - AS levels - rather than teach him to write better at this late stage.

Any ideas on how to achieve this would be gratefully received!

I've got another thread running on WISC tests, which I thought was the way to go, but now maybe it isn't. Getting a private OT seems to be the main suggestion, but I don't know if an assessment by an OT could also lead to him being allowed to use a laptop.

As others have said, you'd need to prove this is his normal way of working. At this stage all you could go for would be partial or full transcription. To get this access arrangement you'd need a psychometric test done either by the SENCO(if they're qualified to do it) or by an ed psych. at quite some cost. it's a bit late in the day and the school could say it's too late to put these arrangements in place.

Hi again, just found something encouraging. If you look at chap2 (2.9) of the JCQ info on access arrrangements, it says that no evidence is required to support need for transcription:
here

2.9 Transcripts

2.9.1 An application must be submitted using Access arrangements online prior to the candidate?s first examination. (No evidence is needed to support the arrangement.) A transcript may be permitted where as a result of impairment a candidate?s handwriting is illegible or so difficult to read that it would be beneficial for an examiner to be able to refer to a transcript of the candidate?s work for clarification.

Thanks, IndigoBell and Puffling.

But as I read it, those new instructions, referred to by Cornsilk, and linked to by Puffling, show that word processing can be used without asking for access arrangements. There's a case study that says:

"A candidate does not have a learning difficulty but is a 'messy' writer. His handwriting is hard to decipher. He requests the use of a word processor and this is granted by his centre in preference to the use of a transcript."

But ds would have to start using a word processor now, before exams start. So my plan is to write to the school saying we will buy ds a Wordpad, and can they please let him start using it asap.

I have found written complaints from two of his teachers about the illegibility of his writing.

I've also been given the name of a private OT if we do have to go down that route. Campdownraces, I appreciate your advice. I think you may be right that slogging away at improving legibility may be futile at his age. I would imagine his school would prefer him to spend that time and effort revising!

Others who have posted here might also like to look at the link in Puffle's post. There is little reason for schools to object to laptop use as far as I can see. In exams, it must be a very simple word processor with no spell check, internet connection or anything else which could give an unfair advantage. And yes, the student does need to be able to touch type at a reasonable speed.

"At this stage all you could go for would be partial or full transcription."

Sorry to disagree with this advice. If the handwriting cannot be read, then nobody will be able to transcribe it, partially or fully. The candidate has to get it on paper, somehow, legibly, so that the examiner can mark the script.

I presume we're talking about January AS modules? (Do they include Maths or Physics? these can be tricky to word process) Do use the teachers' complaints to advance your argument.

Schools cannot really let candidates use own machines in public exams - they have to be cleaned up so no helpful hints are left on for use in exam. So that's one reason they might object, if there are not enough machines to go round, although less likely for AS modules.

"To get this access arrangement you'd need a psychometric test done either by the SENCO(if they're qualified to do it) or by an ed psych. at quite some cost. "
Schools are discouraged now from using reports from private ed psychs they've never heard of - your best bet is to persuade the schools own specialist teacher(s) to write ds up.

However, these assessments are no longer needed for word processing: the school no longer needs prior permission for a candidate to word process, but they do have to record it after the event, and keep evidence on file of "normal way of working" in case an inspector calls.

Thanks again, Camptownraces. We are talking about Jan AS modules, yes. And yes, they do include Maths and Physics - but I've been talking to an exams officer locally who says that according to the new rules you can mix and match. So he could do his writing-heavy subjects on the WP, and his maths and physics on paper. She said multiple choice papers for example are easier on paper.

It sounds like the school will need to buy a WP for him by January then, if they have none suitable for use already. But maybe we could offer to fund one for him - and even for others who need one, depending on cost.

Would Physics be difficult to word process because of the numbers?

The exams officer is, of course, absolutely correct.

It's not so much the numbers but rather the symbols, and all the superscripts and subscripts, which make word processing a pain for both Maths and Physics. I'm not sure if they are allowed to use "equation editor" (a facility in MS Word) but I doubt it's worth it, they'd lose a lot of time on that.

They can slot in a word processed page with manuscript answers written in the answer book if they want - just need to be careful to LABEL those questions which are word processed, including question number, and tag onto the back of the answer book.

The best bet is to be super careful with handwriting where symbols are concerned (easier said than done). Does he appreciate which little quirks of his cause the difficulty?

OK, dh has explained that Physics would be tricky because of the symbols. Might have to get a physics teacher to write unclear words over the top of ds' handwriting, then. Apparently that's an acceptable form of transcription.

x post, races. Think he's beginning to realise what difficulty his readers have! Will have to discuss with his physics teacher.

Riven, Talk to your SENCO again and insist your DS has an assesment for either using a Laptop or having a scribe, Also he should be geting 23% extra time.

I meant 25%

Yes, I think this change in JCQ rules is good for all of us on this thread.