Language teachers/examiners.... school bell disturbed listening test, teacher wouldn't re-run

[lilolilmanchester]

Apparently during DD's GCSE language listening exam today, the school bell went off (normal bell to signify end breaktime), preventing them from hearing that section of the test. Seems someone asked if they could replay the bit they'd missed but it was refused.

Thoughts?

Aren't listening tests usually played twice anyway?

yes, sorry didn't make it clear - was during the second play - but still, it's there to let them hear it again. Probably wasn't much but think there was the distraction of those who couldn't hear that part asking if it could be replayed. Not going to do anything about it, was just interested in hearing what other teachers would have done in same situation.

My son had similar situation. He has difficulty hearing with background noise which hasn't usually been problem until now . But he was put at back of the hall (alphabetical order). He said he couldn't hear a thing it wasn't loud enough and he had to contend with that and people coughing and sniffing was enough to finish him off.

My gcse french listening tape was played on double speed for the first 10mins or so. I wondered why I couldn't get any of it! The invigilator just said "oooops!".

They would not replay it. This was a good 15 years ago mind.

As far as I'm aware it can only be played twice so the teacher was following the rules. Otherwise the teacher could keep replaying it and make it easier on the candidates.

My understanding is that the rules expressly forbid 'replaying the CD' but that any disturbances etc. should be reported by the school to the examboard for special consideration.

Thanks all. I did say to DD she probably wasn't allowed to play it again, perhaps couldn't even. They'd always been told to listen and not write first time and write second time, which made it more of an issue.

That's terrible. I was a languages teacher for many years and for the listening tests, we blocked out a corridor of classrooms, had DHs at each end to prevent anyone coming up and down the corridor, big "Silence, Listening Exams in Progress" signs up and also switched the school bell off if it was going to coincide. Listening tests in classrooms rather than hall was always better for them to hear and anyone with a known hearing problem was allocated a seat near the front of the room. I thought what we did was normal practice, I've never heard of doing listening tests in the main exam hall before ! One time a plane flew over but that wasn't a disturbance we had any control over :-)