[senco-forum] [SENco-forum] FW: exam scribes

I believe it means that they use a scribe for that subject & for internal

On 21/05/08 15:09, "SEN at tringham.net" <SEN at tringham.net> wrote:
<snipped>
> I believe it means that they use a scribe for that subject & for internal
> exams.

> More complicated is my daughter who uses a computer scribe/reader in English
> i.e. uses TextHELP as a normal way of working and the use of which makes her
> equal to her peers, but, in order to use this is in GCSE exams has to comply
> with the rule of reading/spelling below 85.  She scored 89.

>  Strictly speaking she now does not qualify for a 'scribe', but without it
> her computer to order thoughts/re-order paragraphs etc., she is up the creek
> without a paddle.  I feel a DDA case coming on.

Sharon,
       just this morning this was posted on another (not unrelated) list

> I don't know if this is common knowledge but you can now get a standard score
> for reading speed (as opposed to a quartile score)
> which is more helpful for access arrangements etc.
>  http://www.pearson-uk.com/assets/downloads/3011WIAT-IIreadingspeed.pdf

A wordy quote from this web page does get close to the reading speed issue
Sharon raises, but says nothing about scribe need (presumably because
Pearson don't offer a product that can measure it):

" General Qualifications
... For reader and scribe applications, the current regulations require an
assessment to be carried out by an educational psychologist or a specialist
teacher who must hold an additional qualification that has been approved by
the JCQ. The majority of these qualifications, which are at level 7 of the
National Framework for Qualifications (equivalent to postgraduate diploma or
MA level), qualify the holder to carry out secondary educational assessments
unsupervised. The findings of the specialist¹s assessment should be reported
on section C of form 8 (Application for Access Arrangements), which is then
sent to the appropriate awarding body to ask for permission to allow the
candidate the help of a reader.

Reading
Form 8 requires the specialist to answer the following questions concerning
the candidate¹s reading skills:
1. Reading Accuracy
  Is the candidate¹s untimed (single word) reading accuracy in the
below-average range for his/her age?
2. Reading Speed and Comprehension
  Does the candidate read and/or comprehend continuous text at a speed/level
that is in the below-average range for his/her age?
The form layout allows for the recording of reading comprehension and/or
speed as a standardised score. Reading speed can also be shown in terms of
the number of words read per minute.
By Œbelow average¹ the JCQ is referring to scores that are one standard
deviation below the mean on a nationally standardised test; that is a
standardised score of less than 85 or a percentile of less than 16.

The reading subtests provided in the WIAT-IIUK provide everything necessary
to complete this section of the form.

The majority of candidates needing readers in GQ tend to meet the required
standardised score of below 85 on the single word reading test. Until
September 2004, single word accuracy was the only test that could be used to
assess a candidate¹s eligibility for a reader. In 2004 the criteria were
extended to include pupils with a low standardised score for reading
comprehension or speed. Many teachers expected this to greatly increase the
number of candidates eligible for readers, but it has become clear that the
single word accuracy test was a very reliable method of identifying those
needing readers. In one group for example, only 2 out of 16 previously
assessed candidates who did not qualify for a reader the previous year
became eligible for the help of a reader under the new rules. One was a
borderline situation when the standard score was 86 on the WRAT 3 single
word reading, but below 85 on a comprehension test. The other was a pupil
with a diagnosis of Asperger¹s Syndrome who, typically, displayed a high
reading age on the WRAT 3 (17:6 years when tested at 14:3 years) because of
his very good visual memory, but on comprehension was well below the
average.
There is no requirement to complete any more than the single word accuracy
score if the student has met this criteria. However it is very useful to
have on hand a reliable and quick-to-administer test of reading
comprehension and speed if there is good evidence that the candidate will
need a reader, but they have not scored in the below-average range for the
single word test.

The speed of reading standardised scores can also be used as evidence of
slow reading speed when staff at a centre believe that a student, who does
not qualify for having the help of a reader, would benefit from being
allowed up to 25% extra time to complete papers that entail a lot of
reading.

This arrangement can be allowed without seeking permission from the awarding
bodies as long as the evidence, including a report completed during
secondary schooling by an educational psychologist or JCQ-recognised
specialist teacher, is available in the centre. This should only be viewed
as Œback-up¹ evidence as the candidate should be known to staff as a slow
reader and should have been allowed extra time during timed activities in
class involving reading.

Spelling
Form 8 requires the specialist to answer questions concerning the
candidate¹s writing skills. One of the questions under section 3 can be
answered by the WIAT-IIUK:
3. Accuracy and Legibility
  Is the candidate¹s spelling accuracy in the below-average range?
The form layout allows for the recording of spelling as a standardised
score.
As above, Œbelow average¹ for the JCQ refers to scores that are one standard
deviation below the mean on a nationally standardised test; that is a
standardised score of less than 85 or a percentile of less than 16. Errors
unrecognisable as the target word can also be recorded on the form as a
percentage of the total number of whole words in the assessment."

Like I said, this is written about the use of the particular WIAT II test,
which isn't able to measure all the potential general qualification Form 8
needs.
The text goes on about national curriculum tests too.

Hope this might be helpful.

Regards, Mike
-- 
Mike Boyd <mike at green43.demon.co.uk>