Special needs and extra time

[mummy68]

DD1 has just done her S grade exams (equivalent of GCSE I think) and for the majority of exams felt 'pushed for time'. As a result she feels it is quite unfair that several classmates were given extra time simply because (like her) they are a bit slow with reading and writing and concentrating. They claim thngs like dyslexia when they can read and spell perfectly well but are just slow. But the reason she has no problem spelling etc. is she LEARNED to at a young age. Even more laughable is ADHD, which translates (on evidence of said people) as a bit cheeky and bored of certain tasks, or maybe with difficult family environments. (DD got the odd detention a few years back for being rude and carried away with herself, maybe she had ADHD)

So is it fair that some people get special treatment with extra time, scribes, money for a laptop etc. just because they haven't learned to read and write or been brought up to concentrate on things that matter to them? Are we doing more harm than good giving in to incompetent teachers and parents. Or should we pretend DD has a 'learning disability' to get her on a level field for her Highers?

My son has dyslexia and struggles to complete exams without extra time, but I don't see why other students shouldn't also get it, I think a system where everyone is given as much time as they need (within reason) would be good

Some really good responses here, which have saved me from getting a leeeeeeetle bit crazy mad at the poster. Do you think that we didn't try to teach our children to read when they were young...that we just forgot? That the phonics teaching thought thingy got mislaid whilst watching Downton Abbey? As for the fact that more children are diagnosed in private schools because their parents want their kids to be the next JK Rowling - that's pretty offensive. There are lots of reasons, which include: that if you are in smaller classes with more teacher attention it is more likely to be picked up, parents who are paying are statistically going to be likely (not more likely - just likely) to be focused on how their child is progressing, a child with difficulties may be moved into a private school as they are suffering in their previous school, they don't go to the local grammers, so many reasons. I'm only sad that there isn't more support and recognition for all children with SEN, as there are so many people, like the poster of this thread, who don't understand and therefore belittle the situation in it's many forms. My dd spent two years (yrs 2-4) crying every morning as she didn't want to go to school, getting anxiety stomach aches and then sitting in class panicking, unable to hold her pencil and in fear of being asked to read in class or ridiculed by her fellow pupils. For the record, this was a private school and one which focused on getting kids scholarships and had she been diagnosed before applying, she would probably not have been given a place. When we moved area we were lucky enough to be able to afford to put her into another private school as knew of one with a good rep nationally for good academics as well as good SEN provision (Westonbirt Prep/Senior) but I really wish that this was available across the board for every parent, as it really is so stressful, particularly when there are so many people begrudging the few (threatened, as recent news items suggest) playingfield levelers that there are.

Just be aware that the supporting evidence provided to grant special conditions in exams for GCSEs and A levels might not be robust enough to grant special conditions at university. For specific learning difficulties it absolutely must be supported by an assessment by and Educational Psychologist. A letter from a SENCO isn't enough.

It is all about bringing exam candidates up to a level playing field, and 25% extra time doesn't mean a candidate will be writing solidly during the whole exam.

Some students get to top universities with their specific learning difficulties undiagnosed. They will have worked extremely hard to compensate for their difficulties and reach a point where they simply can't keep working at the level required without some help.

At a first glance the special conditions granted might seem unfair, but in reality they rarely are.

Ouch OP!

My Ds is still getting shit about the fact he had extra time for his maths SATS and a scribe for his English SATS (8 months on) apparently he cheated and should not be in the highest sets at High school, Ds started to believe this and started to decline any support given in his new school until I pointed out that if he wasn't capable of being in these sets he would of been moved down by now. He will need exactly the same (possibly more) when he hits his GCSE's.

He just about scrapped in with the levels expected from him, he is actually capable of much much more but that was all the support he qualified for. I thank god someone somewhere sees my Ds as someone who needs support to succeed other wise he may as well go sit in a cupboard for the rest of his life.

Maybe both you and your daughter should spend some time with the Dc who are merely 'cheeky' and 'slow' at reading and writing so you can see there is a lot more to it than that..........on the other hand, no you definitely shouldn't.

I was a SENCo and I had the qualification, so I could assess. Nevertheless, the exam boards, as has been stated, do not hand out access arrangements on a whim.

I'm interested to know what a 'truly dyslexic' person looks like, because in my experience, dyslexia or a specific learning difficulty manifests itself in a variety of ways. I never worked in a private school, so cannot comment on their procedures, but can say quite categorically that the access arrangements I applied for, were for students who would have been disadvantaged without them.

So is it fair that some people get special treatment with extra time, scribes, money for a laptop etc. just because they haven't learned to read and write or been brought up to concentrate on things that matter to them?

Are you fucking serious! Or just thick? My son has been brought up exactly the same as his brother, who is expected to get a's and a*'s in his gcse's, but there is something wrong with the wiring in his brain which causes his problems-dyslexia- not because he hasn't been brought up to concentrate on things that matter.

Sorry for the bad language but people thinking ADHD, dyslexia learning difficulties etc is because parents couldn't be bothered is so wrong.

This is a total zombie thread and was goady in the first place.

Spend you energy on complaining to the Guardiana me Daily Mail who've both published really ill informed and parent-blaming article biased on a really rubbish survey of teachers in the last few days

Ha - silly OP, - and this is my response to that ridiculous report: starlightmckenzie.wordpress.com/2017/02/24/a-survey-of-teacher-prejudice/

Ok you obviously have a massive grudge against this topic or you simply are one of those women who see their child as a perfect angel. My daughter is taking her Mocks at the moment and will soon take her GCSE's. she has 25% extra time because she is dyslexic. Now dyslexia isn't simply caused because someone didn't learn to read or write until later in life- that's just pathetic and makes you sound stupid. My daughter also has short term memory loss- and no this isn't caused by some random shit you'll come up with- this means she finds it extremely difficult to memorise big chunks of recently learned things. Some people with dyslexia do not always get extra time because it isn't serious enough. My daughter doesn't have an unfair advantage at these exams because of this extra time, it's simply there to give her a fair fighting chance. But you need to get your head out your arse- stop trying to diagnose your daughter with things and don't compare her to others. Your daughter may just not have worked hard enough or may have inherited your stupidity but it is perfectly normal to be under time pressure. I find it outrageous how close minded you are and your opinions disgust me, I know my daughter constantly puts herself down about how clever she is- when she doesn't realise just by getting into the school she's in proves how clever she is. You need to stop being so descriminatory.

Evening All, this is indeed a Zombie Thread.
Post at your peril