JCQ EXAMINATION ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS 2013-2014 Dineke M Austin & Louise van der Valk, with thanks to: Jacky Ridsdale, Principal Psychology Lecturer, Dyslexia.

JCQ EXAMINATION ACCESS

ARRANGEMENTS2013-2014

Dineke M Austin & Louise van der Valk,

with thanks to:

Jacky Ridsdale, Principal Psychology Lecturer, Dyslexia Action;

Nick Lait, Senior Manager, JCQ Examination ServicesDA Dyslexia Action 2014

Principal Changes: Emphasis on roles & responsibilities of Heads,

SMT, specialist assessors, & SENCos [not Exams Officers – admin role];

Application deadlines are no longer ‘soft’ but ‘hard’: deadlines on p2 must now be met;

Stronger emphasis on disability legislation;

Where assessment required, this must now be no earlier than the start of Year 9 [JCQ p22]

New guidelines for transition from Year 11 – 12 [JCQ p23]

DA Dyslexia Action 2014

Changes cont. Stronger clarification & guidelines for joint approach

between ‘specialist assessor’ & centre: ‘core’ & ‘supplementary’ evidence [JCQ p25]

Tighter still guidelines regarding evidence for 25% extra time [JCQ p24-27]

‘normal way of working’ repeatedly stressed

New chap 7: accountabilities & new definition of ‘specialist assessor’ with detailed training criteria [JCQ p83-84] – AMBDA equivalent qualifications

Form 8 strongly recommended: guidelines for completion [JCQ p87-88]


Equality Act: ‘limitations going beyond the normal differences in

ability which may exist among people’

‘substantial’ = ‘more than minor or trivial’

‘long term’ = impairment has (or likely to do so) lasted at least 12 months

‘Normal day to day activities’ includes examinations (study & education-related activities)

Factors that might reasonably be expected to have a ‘substantial adverse effect’ include: ‘persistent & significant difficulty in reading &

understanding written material where this is in the person’s native language’ [JCQp4]


Equality Act cont. Factors that might reasonably be expected to have a

‘substantial adverse effect’ cont: ‘persistent distractibility or difficulty concentrating’; ‘difficulty understanding or following simple verbal

instructions’

Factors that might reasonably be expected NOT to have a ‘substantial adverse effect’ include: ‘minor problems with writing or spelling’ ‘inability to fill a long, detailed, technical document…in the

person’s native language without assistance’ ‘inability to concentrate on a task requiring application over

several hours’


EAAs permitted by Centres with no evidence requirements: Supervised rest breaks [5.1 p21]

Read aloud [5.6 p44] includes use of examination reading pen

Word processor [with spell check disabled] [5.8 p54][not maths/sc.]

Transcript [5.9 p56] N.B. appropriate for maths & science

Prompter [5.10 p57]

Live speaker for pre-recorded exam. components [5.12 p63] e.g. MFL for hearing impaired

Sign Language Interpreter [5.13 p64]

Other arrangements e.g. coloured overlays [5.16 p71]

Electronic bilingual dictionary [with no extra time] [5.18 p73]

As long as ‘normal way of working’ DA Dyslexia Action 2014

EAAs requiring application: Extra time of up to 25% [5.2 p22-27]

Extra time of up to 50% [5.3 p28-29]

Extra time of over 50% [5.4 p30]

Computer reader/Reader [5.5 p33-40] N.B. permissions subject by subject p41-43

Scribe/Voice activated software [5.7 p45-53]

Oral Language Modifier [5.11 p58-62]

Practical assistant [5.14 p66-69]

Bilingual dictionary with extra time [5.18 p73-74]

Modified Papers [chap 6 p75-81] N.B. DEADLINES


Evidence needed: [p24-25] ‘Core evidence’ from specialist assessor’s report’ [p25]

At least 1 score of 84 or less [the ‘vast majority’];

2 or more scores between 85-89 [a ‘small proportion’] PLUS supplementary centre evidence;

No scores below 90 [‘very few’ - 1% Nick Lait] a ‘cluster of scores relating to speed of processing just within the average range - between 90-94’ PLUS formal diagnosis, PLUS ‘extensive history of need’, PLUS ‘clear, measurable & substantial long term adverse effect on performance & speed of working’.

Supplementary evidence: painting the picture of need

Evidence of ‘normal way of working’ i.e. Section A Form 8;

Internal school tests or IEP making reference to extra time or comments & observations from teaching staff as to why s/he needs ET and how s/he uses ET.


‘Extra time of up to 25% - being dyslexic is still not enough’‘Painting a picture of need – balance is the key’ [Nick Lait, JCQ]

Quantitative:Specialist assessor’s evidence [speed of working]

Qualitative:Centre-based evidence [painting the picture of need]


Specialist assessor’s core evidence

As the processing speed score moves above 84 an increasing demand arises to paint a progressively more compelling picture of need

The plural is

deliberate!


Supplementary evidence: painting the picture of need - centre

Examples of increasing evidence to paint a compelling picture of need


Access Arrangements – assessed from the start of Year 9:[no earlier] Extra time of up to 25%

Extra time of up to 50%

Extra time of over 50%

Computer reader/Reader

Scribe/Voice activated software [word processor with spellchecker]

Oral Language Modifier

For candidates with SpLD assessments [not report] must have been completed within 26 months of the final examination for which EAAs are requested


Extra time of up to 25% It is emphasised that ET of up to 25% ‘must not be

awarded only for examinations and controlled assessments.’ [p23]

For learning difficulties, this is evidenced by one of the following [5.2.2 p22]:

A Statement of SEN relating to secondary education confirming the candidate’s disability and need for extra time*;

An assessment carried out from the start of Year 9 by a specialist assessor confirming a learning difficulty relating to secondary/further education.

NB: *An annual review stating candidate’s needs as before is sufficient.


Centre evidence: Unfinished internal test or exam papers (normal time

allowance);

Internal test or exam papers with 25% extra time (different colour pen);

Significant improvement in legibility and/or content with ET;

IEP stating need and evidencing “normal way of working”; or Learning Plan;

Results of CATs, screening tests, as supplementary evidence;

Compiled comments from a range of teaching staff, supporting TAs, Head of Year, SENCo, specialist teacher/tutor, etc.


Extra time of up to 25% cont. Where a candidate progresses from GCSE to GCE

examinations a re-submission of the application for extra time of up to 25% must be processed online.’

The candidate must continue to meet the criteria for up to 25% extra time (specialist assessment no earlier than Year 9)

…’SENCo must have available evidence which clearly shows that extra time is still needed for GCE AS & A2 examinations’ [p23]


Extra time of up to 50% JCQ 5.3 p28 ‘Where a candidate...is using a computer

reader/reader and/or a scribe...it would not normally be appropriate to grant more than 25% extra time.’

Can be applied for in the following ‘exceptional’ circumstances:

Candidate working independently with a learning difficulty which has ‘a very substantial and long term adverse effect on speed of working.’

Only a ‘very substantially below average standardised score of 69 or less is acceptable.’


The Specialist Assessor is: [7.3 p83]

an appropriately qualified psychologist; or

a specialist teacher with a current SpLD Assessment Practising Certificate; or

an educational professional with specialist skills who limits their assessments to candidates within that specialist cohort (for example, Teachers of the Deaf).

In addition to these categories, other educational professionals may conduct access arrangements assessments if they meet the following criteria.


They must:hold qualifications in individual specialist assessment. This must include training in all of the following:

•the theoretical basis underlying psychometric tests, such as the concepts of validity and reliability; standard deviations and the normal curve; raw scores, standard scores, quotients, percentiles and age equivalent scores; the concept of statistically significant discrepancies between scores; standard error of measurement and confidence intervals;

•the appropriate use of nationally standardised tests for the age group being tested;

•the objective administration of attainment tests which can be administered individually. This must include tests of reading accuracy, reading speed, reading comprehension and spelling. Appropriate methods of assessing writing skills, including speed, must also be covered;

•the appropriate selection and objective use of cognitive tests including tests of verbal and non-verbal ability and wider cognitive processing skills;

•the ethical administration of testing including the ability to understand the limitation of their own skills and experience, and to define when it is necessary to refer the candidate to an alternative professional;


have a thorough understanding of the current edition of the JCQ publication Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments and the principles, procedures and accountabilities involved;

be familiar with the Equality Act 2010 (although it is not their role to determine what is a “reasonable adjustment”, but rather to help identify access arrangements that might assist the candidate);

hold an appropriate qualification to teach and make recommendations for secondary aged or adult learners who have learning difficulties. [7.3.4 p83]

the specialist assessor should ideally be employed within the centre;

the second choice is a specialist assessor employed at another centre;

the third choice would be a Local Authority specialist assessor;

the fourth choice would be an external specialist assessor who has an established relationship with the centre. [7.3.5 p84]


Appropriate tests It is most important to stress that JCQ does not have an

approved ‘test list’. PATOSS gives guidance on tests. (The SASC list is also a useful reference point.)

There is a long list of appropriate tests [within Dyslexia Action refer to Barry Johnson], Patoss book [p 125-129].

JCQ regulations state ‘Recent editions of nationally standardised tests which produce standardised scores must be used, where published.’ [7.5.6 p85]

As a general rule, use tests published or updated within the last 10 years [hence no Hedderly Sentence Completion, Vernon-Warden, Perin’s Spoonerisms, Digit Memory Test – screening purposes only]. The Allcock norms are now rather dated.


Tests for extra time: Remember – TIMED tests, of:

Literacy processing: Reading speed [single word or continuous text] Writing speed, manual dexterity [including timed

Beery-Buktenica Motor Coordination]

Cognitive processing: Phonological skills Working memory [NB: NOT Digit Memory Test] Processing speed

Phonological Visual


Which tests for extra time? Reading speed:

Single word: e.g. TOWRE/2 (separate scores), Wordchains, Hodder Oral Reading Tests (HORT)

Continuous text: e.g. ART, DRA (Diagnostic Reading Analysis), GORT 4/5, WIAT–II-T, YARC (York Assessment of Reading for Comprehension) – secondary.

Writing/free writing speed: DASH/DASH 17+ Penny Allcock – wpm, Years 9-11; extrapolated Years 12 & 13. [NB:

Note age of test]

Processing speed: Oral: CTOPP/2 – all/any of 4 rapid naming tests (report separately –

use supplemental color/object for older pupils. [BUT NB CTOPP-2!]

Visual: SDMT, Letterchains, Beery-Buktenica (6th ed) Visual Perception.


Which tests? cont. Working memory:

TOMAL-2 [Test of Memory and Learning], WRAML-2 [Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning], AWMA [Automated Working Memory Assessment].N.B. withdrawn for re-norming currently.

Other CTOPP/2 phonological subtests.

Please note: Screening tests are NOT sufficient for EAAs [Patoss p 94-5].

Lucid Exact has been accepted as an appropriate tool but must be supported by another nationally standardised test result. [See Lucid Fact Sheet 61]

Note: some tests can be administered in groups (e.g. WRAT 4 Spelling, DASH/17+, WRAT Expanded)


JCQ EXAMINATION ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS 2013-2014 Dineke M Austin & Louise van der Valk, with thanks to: Jacky Ridsdale, Principal Psychology Lecturer, Dyslexia.

Documents

jcq p23 da dyslexia

hours da dyslexia action

extra time jcq p24

jcq p22 new guidelines

dyslexia action nick

completion jcq p87

normal differences

people substantial