Extra time/scribe/laptop in GCSEs??

[gcseexamshelp]

DS had been using laptop at school but is not keen to use it for mocks and GCSEs.

School have offered a scribe. DS is now very worried how that would work. Has anyone had one? Surely the success depends on how fast they write and if they have to query tricky words or already know the type of vocab he is using? He is a very high achiever verbally.

He had asked for a transcribe which is what he had for SATS but they told him that is not an option. Is that true. I cant get any appointments with IPSEA. Is there anywhere else I can find out?

Thankyou

He would have more control using a lap-top than a scribe in my opinion.
Why is he reluctant to use one in mocks and exams?
For the scribe he would be expected to spell out any specialist words by letter and also dictate all punctuation i.e. full stop, comma, new paragraph. I think you also have extra time because this slows things down. He would also have to be in a room by himself with the person doing the scribing and possibly an invigilator as well. The scribe can't be someone with specialist subject knowledge - would usually be TA/HTA.

My ds had a scribe for GCSEs and he found it helpful for eg English and geography. Didn't bother fir maths.

yy student has to spell out words and specify punctuation in order to gain the marks for that element -scribe then has to sign to say that they did this. So it's a bit laborious (ds didn't do that, he is not a high achiever).

A friend's dd who IS a high achiever, but had fatigue issues, was offered a scribe and found it tricky for reasons above. I believe she used it only fir essay heavy exams such as history and eng lit.

I agree, laptop may be easier?

Thanks. Can you have a transcribe so DS writes the exams himself with everyone else then reads it back afterwards and someone either rewrites it or just alters the words that are illegible? I thought that was what DS had for SATs?

I've never heard of that and I think there might be issues around security possibly?

Just before my ds did his A-level (mocks) he was in an accident and couldn't write, so the school gave him a scribe for each of his exams (fortunately his mocks, not the real things). Beforehand, he thought it would be excellent, but in reality he hated it.
The scribes couldn't spell the words he wanted to use, he had to dictate grammar and the like which he normally wouldn't think about, and he found it incredibly stressful and hard to maintain his 'flow'. I don't know enough about it, but think there is something in the theories about having to 'write it yourself' to be able to reproduce those thoughts.
It isn't necessarily the answer for everyone.
In your ds's case, I'd have thought the fact he uses a laptop in class usually would mean the best thing is to use his 'usual mode of recording'.

Have a look at JCQ guidelines for advice and qualification for any adjustment as this can change from one year to next. I've not heard of a transcribe. Why is he resistant to using a laptop? The adjustment has to be one established as being used in tests and lessons.

www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/AA-regs-2020-2021-version-for-website.pdf

When is he due to sit gcses? Deadline for access arrangements next summer is end of March.

If you have a scribe you can write some of the answers yourself. The scribe would have to fill in the coversheet to state which questions were done by the candidate and which were written by the scribe.
If your ds qualifies for a reader then for some subjects and some SEN it is possible for the reader to read the writing back to the candidate. But the candidate has to make any changes, this cannot be done by someone else. If somebody else were to alter the script that would be regarded as malpractice and the candidate would be disqualified. (There may also be penalties for the school as well).
If you required a reader, you would be in another room too.
It is usually possible to take a lap-top into the main exam hall. You would need to be seated near a power-socket but otherwise you would be treated the same as everyone else during the exam. (You may also need to supervise your work being printed out afterwards).

Sorry I should have explained more carefully. He used to use a laptop but found it too hard to organize - kept forgetting to hand it in each day and download the work etc so gradually stopped. Then off school since March and not started again since Sept with lots isolation etc and typing speeds are now very slow.

Therefore he was expecting to handwrite his GCSEs but with mocks looming school are very keen he doesnt write them as his writing is illegible so his results will be much lower than potential as his verbal knowledge is all grades 7-9 and targets all 7+ based on sats.

my daughter found laptop not easy for maths and science due to graphs etc so had a scribber which worked well and used laptop for more written subjects like English.

Students are provided with a different lap-top for exams to the one they use everyday in class.

What is the reason for the illegibility? Is it a strain thing ie that after a short time the pen is difficult to control? If so rest breaks might be an option.

DC1 ( wrist injury) tried a scribe at one point and found it impossible for some subjects (try dictating a graph or a diagram...) and also found the dictation tricky to manage due to interrupted flow etc. Went with unlimited rest breaks in the end

DD (hand injury) found both a scribe and rest breaks a big problem due to interruption of flow and went with a laptop for most mocks and writing with rest breaks for maths science and the non essay parts of music. It is possible to have a mix and match approach.

I think it highly unlikely that redictation would be permitted.

Thank you. Is just 25% extra time an option so could write slower and hopefully then more legible? It is illegible from the start really - it doesnt seem to get much worse but I guess with more time could not join up. However it would still put off all examiners as it looks like he is illiterate.

A transcribe isn't an option allowed at GCSE for any reason, as far as I am aware. It definitely won't be allowed for poor handwriting alone.

If this is what your DS is hoping for, then I think you need to explain to him that it isn't allowed, so that he can chose the next best option.

I think it would be worth him trying mocks with a scribe- it's not easy, but then he would know if it worked for him or not. If it doesn't work for him, then he could use a laptop as a backup plan- possibly with extra time if his typing speed is low?

How illegible is illegible? Is it just the case that he will lose marks, or will nearly everything he has written be unreadable?

He can write some questions himself if he has a scribe, if that would help?

OP the school haven't said that your ds qualifies for 25% extra time, just that he qualifies either for a lap-top or a scribe.
You can't pick and choose which access arrangements you would like, for many of these there are lots of criteria that have to be gone through to work out which would be best for your child depending on their needs. I know lots of dcs who would be delighted at the chance to use a lap-top in exams!
Examiners seeing an illegible script will just wonder why the candidate didn't use a lap-top or scribe, they won't be making other sorts of judgment.

I understand we cant pick and choose! However I want to determine what the options are and what might be possible to ensure an informed discussion as DS is very stressed about it. Sadly he just presumes he will fail everything so wont be delighted about anything let alone using a laptop or being singled out as different in the exam arrangements. I am just trying to help his mental health and esteem more than anything to get through the next 6 months.

School are the ones who have suggested we do something - presumably because he will fail his GCSEs when they know he could surpass his targets if done verbally. Likely it will all be irrelevant as I cant see GCSEs happening or certainly not counting for the full grade.

In answer to the question how illegible - I cant read any complete sentence ever that he writes - just odd words but some teachers are more used to handwriting issues and appear to manage to read more of it. However it will impact on examiners because a fair percentage will be unable to be deciphered at all.

In that case I would definitely recommend he perseveres with a laptop - and in fact starts to use it in all lessons.

If his writing is unreadable except in part by those who read it a lot, he will do very badly in exams. It is a massive issue if examiners cannot read what is written.

If he uses a laptop as a regular thing for the next six months, he will improve a great deal. It certainly sounds like the best option for him to achieve what he is capable of.

Also if he uses a laptop, he will be able to sit with most students in the main hall 9most likely) if that is important to him. If he has a scribe he will have to be 1-1 in a separate room.

I posted on your other thread, but I wanted to post transcription was available in the past. It was definitely in the 2014-15 Access Arrangements but isn't this year. I don't know when it was removed.

Can he do a crash course in touch typing? Just 20 hours would probably be enough to be fast enough for mocks. Can you provide a laptop for lessons? Mine found it easier on their own laptops than borrowed ones. Would have to use school ones for the exam.

Unfortunately he hated using a laptop because it singled him out so he would still be different if in the exam hall. Also he kept getting in trouble as cannot organize himself so would take the laptop home or not download it. I asked if we could provide one so he didnt have to collect and return it each day but that is not allowed.

Access Arrangements have to be usual way of working. Also, for English Language / Lit GCSE , check the arrangements with the exam board as some boards make the student forgo any SPaG marks if they use a human scribe.

Has the option of dictating into a computer been suggested to you or your DS, OP? We use Read Write Gold at our school which allows oral dictation and the computer transcribes it. Of course, all punctuation would need to be dictated as with a human scribe.

If he can’t write then surely he just has to get his typing sorted, just for basic functionality for a levels , university and work, so surely best to just get on with it now?

And I think you need to be robust about not wanting to seem different in exams. He is different - he can’t functionally write. So he has a choice - look the same and fail or take the steps he needs to and get the results he is capable of. He isn’t a small child - he needs to be practical.

And I speak as someone with a child with ASD/ADHD etc who has to navigate typing and extra time and being n a different room etc.

He could also undertake a series of handwriting exercises. There are quite a few on YouTube.

I'd go back to the school re you not being allowed to provide one, that's ridiculous.
DD1 has dyspraxia, and used a laptop for various things from y9. I took responsibility for printing things out and making sure they were stuck in books etc.
If he uses a laptop (or has extra time) he will be in a concessions room, no one else will particularly notice whether he is in the main room or not.
If his handwriting is that atrocious, he needs to get competent with typing, he'll need it for whatever he does next, he might as well get used to it.

That said, you may need to look at maths because typing that is well nigh impossible. DD ended up typing essay subjects (including MFLs) but handwriting maths & science. However her handwriting was legible just slow (and for essay subjects her brain stopped when writing by hand...)