KiasuParents - Parenting in Singapore

For those who get extra time for exams due to learning disabilities, is there a norm? Like 15 mins per hour or something? Thanks!

For O level, students get extra time of between 25mins to 45 mins depending on duration of the paper.

The 1.5 hrs paper get extra time of 25 mins and the 3 hrs paper get extra time of 45 mins, thereabouts.

To request for extra time, need a certified educational psychologist report to certify that the student has some learning difficulty. Do note that on the O level cert, there will be an annotation that the child sat for the exam "under special arrangements". But the reason for the special arrangements will not be indicated on the cert.

HTH

Depending on the needs of the child, the letter should also include the provisions to be made for the student. Best to know what you want for the child and get the EP to write it down for you. Most EPs charge for writing the reports.

For example,

- extra time
- able to use selected pens - for example, erasable pens
- enlarge the font size or have questions printed on A3 size paper
- any others...

Thanks! So the accommodation is something like 15 mins per hour. Is it possible to ask for extra time only for some papers, not all? I know about the annotation on the cert. Will the annotation indicate which subjects the extra time was taken for?

You seem very knowledgeable about accommodations. Do you know if a student with dyspraxia (manifested in poor handwriting and weak grip) can request to use a computer for writing essays in exams? Thanks!

slmkhoo wrote:Thanks! So the accommodation is something like 15 mins per hour. Is it possible to ask for extra time only for some papers, not all? I know about the annotation on the cert. Will the annotation indicate which subjects the extra time was taken for?

You seem very knowledgeable about accommodations. Do you know if a student with dyspraxia (manifested in poor handwriting and weak grip) can request to use a computer for writing essays in exams? Thanks!

Am familiar a tad as I had applied for extra time for my child.

I'm not sure if MOE allows extra time for some subjects and not for others. If u want it that way, then make sure u indicate it in the "special arrangements" letter to MOE. Example, extra time for XX and YY subjects.

Just wondering, why only selected subjects? Since provisions are given, why not make use of it? My child found the extra time very useful as she has language processing issues. That said, not all special needs kids require extra time.

As for the use of computers, I had considered it too. But decided not to pursue it for the O levels. Figured that it wd be too fiddly for my child to type out the answers. Also, not sure if this is also allowed at O levels. U may need to check with MOE on that one.

Alternatively, if u want your child to use the laptop, then put the request in the letter - and get the EP to state the reasons why that is necessary. Then, leave it to MOE to decide whether they approve or not. Whilst MOE usually agrees to most requests, they may reject others. No harm trying tho.

But the use of a laptop is acceptable at tertiary levels - polys and uni, as long as permission is granted.

tabgha wrote:

slmkhoo wrote:Thanks! So the accommodation is something like 15 mins per hour. Is it possible to ask for extra time only for some papers, not all? I know about the annotation on the cert. Will the annotation indicate which subjects the extra time was taken for?

You seem very knowledgeable about accommodations. Do you know if a student with dyspraxia (manifested in poor handwriting and weak grip) can request to use a computer for writing essays in exams? Thanks!

Am familiar a tad as I had applied for extra time for my child.

I'm not sure if MOE allows extra time for some subjects and not for others. If u want it that way, then make sure u indicate it in the "special arrangements" letter to MOE. Example, extra time for XX and YY subjects.

Just wondering, why only selected subjects? Since provisions are given, why not make use of it? My child found the extra time very useful as she has language processing issues. That said, not all special needs kids require extra time.

As for the use of computers, I had considered it too. But decided not to pursue it for the O levels. Figured that it wd be too fiddly for my child to type out the answers. Also, not sure if this is also allowed at O levels. U may need to check with MOE on that one.

Alternatively, if u want your child to use the laptop, then put the request in the letter - and get the EP to state the reasons why that is necessary. Then, leave it to MOE to decide whether they approve or not. Whilst MOE usually agrees to most requests, they may reject others. No harm trying tho.

But the use of a laptop is acceptable at tertiary levels - polys and uni, as long as permission is granted.

My daughter is actually going to take SPERS this month to try to enter Pre-U next year as we have been overseas. She has been granted extra 20 mins per subject, which I feel is a bit little as English is 3+ hrs and Maths 2 hrs. She has poor working memory and slow processing speed, but the processing speed doesn't seem to affect her language processing much, it's mainly working out Maths problems that she's very slow. It has taken nearly 3 mths to get MOE to agree to extra time (never before requested for SPERS, I think), and the closing date for application is tomorrow, so I'm not going to pursue it any further now. As for only taking it for certain subjects, I am concerned that extra time can be very tiring, and since my daughter has low stamina for sustained concentration too, I don't know if extra time might be counter-productive for some subjects!

English compo and compre don't require that much writing, so I also haven't pursued the computer issue, but I intend to if she gets into a A level programme - she's going to be taking Arts so there'll be lots of essays. She has been used to typing assignments for the past few years, so she will be fine with that if MOE will allow. Is there a statement on the poly/universities' websites that states that computer use is allowed for special needs students? I would love to get some backup info in case MOE is going to be difficult.

Thanks for the info.

There is no such ruling. If she needs it by all means ask the school if she can type out her assignments. Find a school that is accommodating. I have three children with dyspraxia and I advocate for computer usage in PSLE and O'levels don't have any in A'levels yet but will advocate for it.

mahes_gopal wrote:There is no such ruling. If she needs it by all means ask the school if she can type out her assignments. Find a school that is accommodating. I have three children with dyspraxia and I advocate for computer usage in PSLE and O'levels don't have any in A'levels yet but will advocate for it.

Thanks for the encouragement! Does MOE have any specific criteria for how bad the handwriting/physical skills need to be before they will allow the use of computers? My daughter is borderline in that her writing is fairly legible (but messy) and she has weak grip which makes her tire quite fast. She didn't take O levels and has been doing internet school up till now, so I don't know whether she can last 3 hrs of an essay paper. I expect I can get the school to agree to allowing typed assignments, but it's the actual A level exams I'm concerned about. Anyway, at the moment, I just hope she will be allowed to do A levels, and I will ask about the accommodations once she starts school. Thanks again!

That's good i appreciate your information.

Another question about extra time for exams: if the paper is long and extra time is granted, will the student be allowed to take a short break in the middle? Eg. if it's a 3-hr paper, and 45 mins extra time is granted, will the student have to keep going for 3.75hrs non-stop? It would seem to negate the benefits as the student may be really exhausted towards the end. Anyone with experience of extra time at A levels (where many papers are 3 hrs long)? Thanks!