SCN0667
Written evidence from Parental Submission 170
Main Points
6. Suggestions for modifying
1.1. I am a mother of 6 children, 3 of whom have varying degrees of dyslexia.
1.2. I have 10 grandchildren, 2 of whom have dyslexia that affects their spelling and grammar.
1.3. I am making this submission in order to make a plea for these two children.
2.1. These two boys are very bright and luckily have supportive and well-trained teachers, who recognise their abilities. They both attain high grades in all their subjects except for English Language and any subject that requires spelling and grammar in essays. My daughter-in-law, the mother of these two boys, is a SENCO teacher, and very concerned that her sons are motivated to succeed. She is doing very well by supporting them in their learning, but tells me that it doesn’t matter how much time, extra tuition and special adjustments are laid on for them at school and at home - the boys really struggle with being able to spell and write in a grammatically correct way.
2.2. Whilst I do agree that it is important to set standards of excellence in schools and that students should have levels of attainment to aim for. I also see that where there is genuine disability, as with Dyslexia (spelling and grammar) - there is a need for modifications to be made to the marking system in examinations. If a dyslexic child has support and recognition of their disability, by their teachers and peers, then they can do very well on a day to day basis with their studies. It is at the point of examination that they need to have their disability acknowledged.
2.3. At the moment, with 20% of marks being allocated to spelling and grammar in English language, my grandsons are being set up to fail. It is not fair to expect these children to have to face failure when there is nothing they or their parents and teachers can do to change their ability.
3.1. If the marks allocated to spelling and grammar in GCSE examinations were to be lowered for diagnosed Dyslexic students, then children, like my grandsons, would have a better chance of succeeding.
4.1. When my children sat their GCSE’s they did not have this high percentage allocated to spelling and grammar, and they succeeded in their exams. They all now have successful careers as 1) a midwife, 2) a film editor and 3) a psychologist.
4.2. At University level, spelling and grammar is not given the same emphasis as it is at GCSE level.
4.3. Life as an adult, functioning in the modern age, does not depend on one’s ability too spell or use correct Grammar.
4.4. My three Dyslexic children are living proof of this.
5.1. I believe that it is a matter of discrimination against Dyslexic students, when they are told that there are special adjustments made in schools to help them succeed on a level playing field with students who do not have dyslexia. It is well known that these so-called special adjustments are rarely present in schools in this age of austerity. Specially trained teachers, computer aids, extra time etc, are simply not available for most children with Dyslexia. They simply do not have the same chance as children with normal ability.
6.1. This is where it becomes difficult. I don’t envy exam markers. I wouldn’t want to attempt marking an essay by one of my grandsons. I can barely read what they have written.
6.2. So how can a student with Dyslexia submit their written exam in a way that their ability formulate the content, structure, ideas, arguments, research and conclusion is recognised?
6.3. I believe that these aspects of communication should not be subservient to the ability to spell or use grammar correctly.
6.4. I think that students who have ben diagnosed with Dyslexia, should have a different way of submitting their examination papers, to those who do not have diagnosed Dyslexia.
6.5. Would it be possible to take a recording of them reading through their essay, for the benefit of the exam markers? Then at least the markers would not have to struggle with trying to understand what has been written?
6.6. Or at least - could there be a way of identifying that the student who has written this paper, has Dyslexia?
February 2019