ALTERNATIVE TESTING METHODS FOR A DYSLEXIC CHILD

As participation in some exams, such as the Victorian Certificate of Education is mandatory in Australia, I aim to not only describe alternative testing methods for dyslexic children and teenagers but also modifications and allowances that can be utilised in test situations.

One of my tutoring students, Ben, opted to participate in his first formal Year 9 exams. These exams are not compulsory, but Ben did not want to appear different from his peers as he has difficulty coping with the allowances and exemptions that are made for him as it is.

This was a courageous choice. I can count the number of classroom tests Ben has passed on the fingers of one hand since he began secondary school three years ago.

Tests and exams are far from a positive and rewarding experience for him. Ben has dyslexia, ADD (Inattentive-type) and an impaired short-term memory so it is understandable that he has more to contend with during tests than just test anxiety.

For children and teenagers like Ben it is important that tests and exams have rewarding outcomes otherwise there is no point to them.

These students don’t need to be reminded in front of a classroom of their peers that they struggle to perform at their best in these sorts of situations and that the score on their test sheet is not a true indicator of their ability. It is frustrating, depressing and demeaning for them.

So, how can these students achieve a mark that accurately reflects their knowledge, talent and skill level, something for them to feel justly proud of?

At Ben’s school all students were given detailed handouts on what topics to study for each exam.

Because of Ben’s learning difficulties the following allowances were made:

• Ben was given more precise information so that he did not waste valuable study time memorising irrelevant topics. This gave him a sense of control over the situation. This is what I need to know. I can do this.

• His wonderful support teachers made him fact flashcards for each subject’s exam. A single question was on one side and the answer on the other so he could study in short, sharp bursts whenever and wherever he liked.

• They also photocopied the diagrams and maps he would have to label so that he could practice.

• Finally, Ben was allowed extra time to complete his exams.

After much hard work and preparation Ben passed five of his seven exams. For Ben this was a great result.

What is fundamental in all of this is the support Ben was given from his school. Without this Ben would have yet again experienced failure.It is absolutely vital that a student’s teachers and the school in general make these very important allowances. If they can’t or won’t, then parents need to ask themselves is this the best learning environment for my child?

Simple things can make tests and exams positive experiences without alternative testing:

• Ignore spelling, grammatical and sentence structure errors

• Accept answers in point form

• Use short-answer and/or multiple choice testing

• Make sure that instructions are clear and read them to the student if necessary

• Do not overload the test paper with writing, break the test up into chunks over a number of pages so that the student isn’t overwhelmed

• Subtly ask the student if they are OK during the test and if they have gone off on a tangent quietly get them back on track

• Keep them aware of the time and check on them if they are not writing

• Allow the student more time to complete their test.

Previously I mentioned allowances that were made for my student recently but these required the consent of an empathetic, understanding and supportive school body. Listed below are other such allowances that can be made to make testing a more positive experience:

• The use of a word processor and calculator during the test/exam

• A one-on-one test situation that involves the child and a staff member in a quiet environment in which the student can take breaks and move around.

Finally, alternatives to testing that I see as being very beneficial and I hope become more widely accepted are:

• Oral testing of the student. The test/exam is read to the student and the student orally gives answers or responses to each question.

• The use of a scribe.

• The child dictates his answers or responses to a teacher who writes them down verbatim.

• No formal testing at all.

• Assessment of the student would be made by course work only, e.g.

• Projects/ assignments

• oral presentations · computer generated presentations (power point)

• multi-media presentations e.g. film, photography · meeting skill-based criteria

Karen Fehring

(Karen is a teacher in Victoria, Australia and is a student on the Dyslexia Certificate course.)

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