Reader pens, exams and maths / science

[learningishard]

Discussing with school how to manage difficulty in reading (visual stress / dyslexia) for science / maths papers.
DD has a reader pen for exams but it does not cope well with formulas or maths type text eg in maths and science exams. The problem is that text moves around and focussing is hard, so eg a + sign looks like a ÷. She already has tinted lenses, which help some but not completely. Pen cannot help with this and readers are told to simply point at any formulas and not read them as they could stray into decoding which is not allowed.

Does anyone have a solution to this? Currently looking at enlarged papers / font sizes to see if that would help. Any other suggestions (preferably backed up with paperwork I can share with school!) ?

Has DD tried a computer reader? Some get on better with that than a reading pen, and it has the added benefit of being allowed in sections testing reading.

A reader can read numbers printed in figures as words unless the question is asking a number to be written in words. A reader can decode symbols and unit abbreviations in Maths and Science exams where it is necessary and the normal way of working. See page 57 of JCQ’s guidance here. They can’t decide symbols in music exams.

I have discussed that guidance, and the specific guidance on readers in maths /science www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Notice_to_Centres-decoding_symbols_2024_FINAL.pdf with the Sen team. Their interpretation is that this can only be used where there is a significant visual impairment and no other option is available. I am not sure this interpretation is correct. Surely if a student can't tell the difference between characters / symbols due to neurological differences, there should be a way for them to mitigate this?

We discussed what readers are allowed to say eg for x squared the reader should say X superscript 2, not x squared etc. but I think they are worried that it will all be too difficult! DD asked if she could point to a symbol and say "is that a plus or a divide" but was told they wouldn't be allowed to tell her.

My older DD is studying maths at university and we have done much research into text to speech and maths. There are a few options but they are not widely used and most computer software cannot actually cope with mathematical formulas, despite advertising suggesting they can. It is a real issue that no-one seems to think is important!

From what you describe, if the modified papers you mention trying don’t work, it would be acceptable for the reader to read the symbols if it was DD’s normal way of working. She cannot, at the moment, independently access the papers because of the level of her impairment. She does need further access arrangements.

You could always try contacting the exam board. Sometimes they won’t speak to parents, but sometimes you get lucky.

You’re right, there’s a gap in the market. My DC get on best with EquatIO, but it is far from perfect.

The enlarged papers seem to work - the bonus is that the papers are in sans serif font rather than times new roman or whatever they normally use so that will also help :-) She also said that with the enlarged papers, she can also actually read the graphs properly which we didn't realise was a problem. I think her visual processing issues are worse than we thought but she is so used to it we didn't realise.

She has mocks in a few weeks so we will see. I think the Sendco is going to add a reader to the access arrangements as well so we can see what works best.

I am pleased to hear the modified papers help. You could also try different colour paper. Some people with visual impairments find some colours easier to work with.