Exam Access Arrangements for SEN Students: Challenges and Solutions

This report provides a critical evaluation of exam access arrangements for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN). It explores the challenges and adjustments made to accommodate students with disabilities, including those with dyslexia. The report analyzes pedagogical options for students with dyslexia, emphasizing the importance of creating an inclusive learning environment. It examines the role of schools and educators in supporting SEN students, highlighting the need for tailored teaching practices and the utilization of various learning materials, such as group work, graphics, and tailored teaching. The report also addresses the importance of staff training, parental involvement, and the implementation of reasonable adjustments and special considerations during exams. It emphasizes the importance of inclusive education and ensuring that SEN students have equal opportunities to succeed. This report aims to provide comprehensive insights into supporting SEN students in educational settings.

EXAM ACCESS
ARRANGEMENTS FOR
SEN STUDENTS-
ADJUSTMENTS AND
CHALLENGES

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Critical Evaluation of exam access for SEN students............................................................2
Critical analysis of pedagogical options for pupil with dyslexia...........................................5
SEN students and their learning environment in schools.......................................................6
Inclusive Education for SEN pupils.......................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Exam access arrangements is helps conditions which are organised by school during
exam for the person suffering from any disability or additional needs. SEND students are person
who faces difficulty of learning, understanding, concentrating, reading etc. In accordance it is
important for the educators to enable positive and motivating learning environment for these
individuals because it is the situation which helps them in supporting and encouraging learning
among them. Further, report will outline Exam access arrangement for SEND students which
will depict their conditions and will determine techniques and additional needs which are
fulfilled by educators to promote their socialising and inclusion in learning activities. Besides,
report will evaluate different themes like, pedagogical options for pupil with dyslexia to analyse
the access of SEN people to educational environment. Thus, the report will also identify
Inclusive Education for SEN pupils which will assist in determining key element which needs to
be considered for student participation in learning activities
MAIN BODY
EAL exam is held for those students whose English is not their first language. So they
learn English by giving this exam. There are various arrangements that is made for Special
education needs students. These students must be educated by developing a EHC plan.
It is a 10 minutes examination for SEN people. It is held because of lack of fluency in
English. In this SEN students are given similar to overall percentage
Exam Access arrangements helps in identifying special education needs of learners,
temporary injuries and disabilities for Special Educational Needs Disabilities (SEND). The
people with SEN faces learning disabilities and it is difficult of children to grasp and
understanding learning according to people of their own level. This is related to learning
disability faced by people who are suffering from disabilities which can be related to anything.
The disability do not discriminate between learners instead it is the different in ability of
understanding and acknowledging (Hodkinson, 2015). Teaching practices for educators are bit
different for these individual in order to protect their ability to socialise, learn and to make
friends. However, there are scenario where SEN people faces disadvantages like as per
regulation Equality Act 12010 educators are required to provide same learning environmental
and exam access arrangement which is the substantial disadvantage of disabled person. There is
an appropriate process of making exam arrangement like first focus is identification by teachers
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send team, students and parents where the school aims at collecting information about views of
key person about the exam arrangements. This is to attain satisfaction of all people involved in
process of exam. Further, if any case of changes educators aims at sorting issue of SEND team
for approval. Approval letters from parents and SEND team is the priority of schools because it
helps in determining success of exam access arrangement for all individuals.
Critical Evaluation of exam access for SEN students.
Access arrangements is related to enabling helps in exam It is focused on allowing and
supporting learners with additional needs. The arrangements for exams comprise work processor,
additional time, reader which can be either computer or any person who understanding additional
needs, scribe, practical assistant, rest breaks, rest aloud, enlarged practicals and modified paper
which is based on font size, colour of text, Braille and language according to understanding of
students (Benton and Johnson, 2015). However, access arrangement are made specifically
considering learning needs and requirement of SEND people, these are the individuals who
suffers with disability and require special educational needs. There are schools and learners
which are focusing on altering their process of conducting exam and enabling learning without
discrimination (Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs in Schools, 2014). The
educators are focused on making use of additional needs of SEN students because it helps them
in socialising and boosting their morale in learning. However, making them realize about their
disability can be risky because the individuals are very sensitive to changes and because if any
difficulty these students isolates them form understanding surrounding and concepts of learning.
As per SEN people it is important for the teacher to make learning environment easy like making
use of visible colours, with large fonts. Instead of making them read the content, educators read
for them. Participation of teachers with theses people is the activity which helps in encouraging
SEN students in learning and understanding (Humphrey, Lendrum and Squires, 2013). Similarly,
Special educational needs and disabilities is the situation where the child of any student faces
difficulty in learning which affects their abilities of socialising because of which person faces
problems in making friends and interacting with people in surroundings. The individual suffers
from Dyslexia in which learners faces difficulty n reading and writing. Moreover, with
disabilities faces problem in concentrating due to which the person lack learning to accord to all
the students in class.
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It is a very complex task to work or deal with disabled people. This is because it is
difficult to understand their behaviour and identify their needs. Also, these people needs differs
according to environment in which they feel comfortable (Bell and McLean, 2016). However, it
is essential to educate these people as they are also a part of society. For this policies have to be
developed so that education can be provided to them. Secondary education must be provided to
them. There are different pedagogical options available in teaching disabled people. This can be
provided to these children that will help them to learn and grow. It provides opportunities to
engage students in various learning activities. The options are as follows :-
Group work – In this teacher focus on dividing students into small groups so that they learn in
better way. Teacher then assign different activities to each student to perform. Students helps
each other in completing their task (Devi and Reddy, 2016). Also, they learn various things. It is
very effective technique that can be used to teach students. Moreover, it will help in promoting
student engagement. They will work in team by communicating with each other. Besides this,
motivating children in team is useful in completing task.
Learning materials- This can be used to provide practical knowledge to students. In this
materials can be presented to them in form of graphs, charts, images, etc. so that they can
visualise it. It will help in identifying their interest so that further steps can be taken. It also helps
in increasing skills of students and memory. Besides this, it helps in remembering things for long
term (van den Berg and Stoltz, 2018).
Graphics – It can be used to gain attention of children. For this signals, arrows, animation, etc.
can be used in providing knowledge to them. It will help in making them learn about various
things. Also, what is the importance of signs and signals. This can be used for children who can
are having some mental disability.
Tailored teaching- It is the most effective teaching technique that can be included in providing
education to disabled people. It allows teachers to deliver education at slow rate. Also, in this
more opportunities are provided to them (Stampoltzis and et..al, 2015). In this there is
communication between teacher and students. The focus is on building strong teacher student
relationship. Certain disciplinary context is used to avoid distraction and disruption among
students. It creates a better and positive environment in which student also response very well to
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teacher. There is increase in student participation. They are praised when task or activity is
completed.
Create new learning opportunities- In each school more opportunities must be provided to
students so that they can learn and educate. It will allow students to involve more in learning
activities. Also, by this, students will be attracted towards it. Providing more facilities will help
to engage students in education (Lee, 2016). What people think and involve them in change
process- Education system must identify what are people feeling regarding this. It will help in
creating change and implementing it. Also, with this, it will be easy to motivate disable people to
get involved in change. However, it will help in getting their views about what measures can be
taken in order to increase services. It will be easier task in involving people in secondary
education. Increasing staff opportunities –This can be done by providing them more tools to
work together. It will be helpful in conducting research so that opportunities can be identified.
This will help in getting disabled people experience on what they have learned from education.
With this it will be easy to support and encourage them to get education (Bell, and McLean,
2016). Identify new ways of working with people- In this a team can be formed that will help in
identifying by what ways disabled people can be included in education. By conducting research
people needs, behaviour is identified so that accordingly projects can be started in schools.
Besides this, needs of different age group people will be identified. It will be beneficial in
motivating them. Also, it will give higher insights to teacher and students with whom they are
working. It will help in developing their learning abilities and enhancing education skills. There
should be an appropriate process of making exam arrangement like first focus is identification by
teachers send team, students and parents where the school aims at collecting information about
views of key person about the exam arrangements
Access arrangements- It must be provided at the time of examination. It must be based on
evidence. It is divided into two categories. First is done by central and another is provided by
JCQCIC awarding body. Through this disabled candidates can get special educational needs
without changing demands of assessment. For example – readers, scribes, etc. question paper.
Thus, in this awarding body will implement equality act 2010 to make adjustments.
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Reasonable arrangements- In this awarding body make adjustments for a person who is getting
disadvantage in taking assessment. It depends upon various factors and needs of candidates. In
this costs, time frame will not be consider as an adjustment.
Special consideration- It is a post examination adjustment that reflects candidates injury or
illness at the time of examination.
Critical analysis of pedagogical options for pupil with dyslexia
The support of inclusion of SEN people is derived from National council of Special
Education which helps in support needs and learning of children with additional needs. The
system of special education council is based on principles which states that all the individuals
regardless of their disability and additional needs are free to enrol and get education in local
schools of country (Parsons and Lewis, 2010). The educators are focused on support equality
among students with regards toe education and all learning resources. Another principle states
that every additional needs of child will be support according to their disability without any
discrimination. According to council, it is important for the school to make optimum utilisation
of resources to support learning of children. Parents of every students will be treated with respect
and will be kept informed with regards to every activity and change implemented in learning
practices of students. Like the individuals suffering from dyslexia have difficulty, in
concentrating, taking notes, maintaining record, essay writing etc. the children suffering from
this lacks' confidence to social situations where the students avoid reading and writing in front of
other students. This is the major disability which hampers inclusion of child with other children
ins schools. In accordance to this situation, the educators aims at motivating child to improve
their learning potential by boosting their moral and encouraging them to participate in group
activities (Boyle, Topping and Norwich, 2012). Apart from this educators aims at providing spell
checkers, note takers, ad extra time for writing in classroom as well as in class. This support to
student is the strategy which helps in promoting education in SEN students. In other words, it
can be argued that dyslexia is learning disability which results in lack of language and reading
skills. In such cases the person is unable to write and red which impacts socialisation and
participation in classroom learning activities. The impacts of this disability disruptive for child
behaviour, because in these cases the students are unable to spell words and pronounce them
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correctly, due to which the person struggles from lack of confidence (Dyslexia In the Classroom,
2017). It can be faced by any individual from any background but supporting growth of these
children can help in delivering bright experience to their lives (Odom, Buysse and Soukakou,
2011). The individuals are not incapable of learning instead a slow to understanding and grasp
things therefore it is important for the educators to enable support to SEND students in school by
providing them additional resources, extra time, leniency etc. Apart from this education options
which can be beneficial in supporting education of SEN child can be teaching child personally,
reducing language barriers, interacting in simple language, providing notes taker.
SEN students and their learning environment in schools.
Individuals with SEND can be of various types suffering from various disabilities like,
Sensory and physical needs, interaction and socialisation, Autism Spectrum disorder, cognition
and learning and disability in emotion, and mental status. It is important for the educators to
ensure proper plan of involving SEN People with normal students and in learning activities. It is
the only strategy which can assist in managing successful access and exam plan for SEN
students. Before planning inclusion plan it is important for the educators to identify unique needs
of SEN people which is focused on child ability to interact which is focused on language, speech
and need of communication. This assist teachers in analysing child interest in socialising and
learning activities (Jansen, Van der Putten and Vlaskamp, 2013). Evaluating interest is the basic
practice of deriving unique learning plans for children with additional needs. Inclusion of
students in learning activities is the major focus of teacher and therefore it is important for the
educators to aims at fulfilling all additional requirement of SEN people because this is the
strategy which will helps in encouraging boosting morale of people in involving with people and
in educational environment. Apparently, Additional neds of disable people are related to level of
understanding and ability to grasp things therefore with regard to this it is essential for educators
enable positive leaning environment where child gets chance to interact and socialise with
people. In inclusion plan the educators aims at making comfortable for SEN students because it
is the only situation which reflect their level of learning and understanding. Like in case of
exams, regardless of equality Act the responsibility of teachers is to enable conditions which are
convenient in accordance to SEND people like, it is important for the school to provide reader to
child, font size and colour of question paper needs to be large. Moreover, the students are give
extra time to write exam in comparison to normal students. Theses different in exam information
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is strategy which helps educators in promoting inclusion and supporting growth and development
of SEN students (Dockett, Perry and Kearney, 2011). Apart from this, it has been found out that
there is a significant difference between inclusion, when students spend most of their time school
rooms whereas the SEN people spend their time in developing their learning abilities and
enhancing education skills.
In accordance, it has been analysed that involved children with specific need in learning
programmes in classrooms helps in social, academic, economic and financial benefits to school
and educators. It helps in enhancing their professional experience because it is related to
promoting equal education to students in different ways regardless of their difference. As per
National council of Special Education, it is important for the schools to manage resource for
inclusion plan of children with specific needs because according to association enabling support
by fulfilling additional needs is the strategy which helps the educator in promoting teaching and
learning among students at equal level (Gaines and Curry, 2011). Apart for this, there are
various challenges which come across when planning inclusion for SEN student like,
behavioural people which is most common in young people as these people are very particular
about their surroundings and people around them, and with the change in needs the individual
starts feeling complicated due which students with specific needs do not resist changes and avoid
inclusion and communication with other students. Poor behaviour with students and children
impact socialisation which is common part of education process and disrupts learning
environment. Thus, as per discussion it has been analysed that exam access to SEN students is
different from normals students because these individual have specific and different needs from
learning environment (Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs in Schools, 2014).
These are the people who are very sensitive to changes and it is important for the educators to
provide safe and comfortable inclusion of SEN children in school. It is the practice in school
which is centred to teacher ad children and therefore it is important for the educators to
understand child learning ability and additional needs. Like in case if child is completely blind
than in this case educator need to provide exam environment where there is one reader ad one
write of child (Morgan and et.al., 2015). This is the support strategy which will helps child in
writing exam like every other students. HOWEVER, In case of child is partially blind than the
teacher needs to provide large font size with dark colours in order to make vision clear for
partially blind child. Apart From this there are various other children who faces problem in
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writing, understanding or concentration and that is why involvement with children according to
their additional need is providing exam access for SEN students.
Inclusive Education for SEN pupils
Inclusive education is promoting learning among students regardless of their difference.
In this strategy the educator focuses on respecting and valuing child where the aim of teacher is
to fulfil different learning requirements of child. Inclusive education in school reduces
discrimination, supports human rights and helps in improving learning of students in school. In
inclusion plan which is based on four key factors first is process which is finding the best way to
support learning and eliminating diversity. Second factor of inclusion is identification and
elimination of barriers. In this educator analysis availability and requirement of resources which
will be needed to support learning of SEND students (Griffin, McMillan and Hodapp, 2010).
Third factor of plan is based on student participation ion learning activities. In this the
responsibility of educator is to ensure that students are regularly coming school and taking part
in learning process and plans. Involvement of students is the success of inclusion plan and helps
in overcoming their learning disabilities. Thus, the last step of inclusion plan of school is based
on analysing child interest in learning activities and way to improve their participation in order
to reduce the risk of marginalisation, underachievement among students. There are various
challenges and adjustment which arise at time of inclusion of and exam access of SEND students
like establishing equality among students is the major hindrance to educational practices. If in
case educators are providing one student writer and other one is writing themselves and it leads
to discrimination among students which is the most challenging part of managing exam access of
SEN people (Inclusive Student Assessment, 2007). Apart from this, at time of inclusion plan if
one person is getting extra support of teacher in understanding and other ones are just managing
themselves than it also creates discrimination among students and becomes obstacle to inclusion
plan. When plan exam access and inclusion of SEND students the foremost responsibility of
teacher is to ensure implementation of safe practices. In contrast, primary principle of inclusive
pedagogy aims at educating young people by fulfilling their additional and special needs. It
comprises placement of different learning resources for impaired students in schoolrooms and
integrating their education with other students in same classrooms.
Inclusion plan is a challenge for educators because it leads to workload and anxiety as in
this the individuals are liable to treat every student differently. Individual Education Plans (IEPs)
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are burdensome for educators. Also, the quality of IEPs is alleged because the individuals are
always asked to changed their working practices with students. Apparently, lack of resources
can be another obstacle in schools which hinder child inclusion and learning programme.
Limitation of resources for send pupil can be lack of time of experts, availability of physical
space, lack of learning material, etc. Theses are the basic to learning needs of children with
special needs. Similarly, training of educators for managing learning abilities of SEN people also
plays vital role because it helps teacher in developing standards which aims ta understanding
need and learning of SEN people. Inclusive education is a development concept and is student
centre-red. Education of children with disabilities and additional neds in schools is broader term
and refers to participation children which guarantees academic achievement
CONCLUSION
The report summarized that about exam access environment for SEN students which is
children with specific need and additional needs. It is important for the teacher to enable healthy
learning environment for Special Educational Needs Disabilities (SEND), as it helps them in
overcoming their weakness. However, the report outlined various themes which reflects different
ides over SEN students and their inclusion. It evaluated exam access for SEN students due to
which the educators focuses on providing them extra facility like, note maker, reader, large font
size and dark colour of fonts etc. It discovered that SEND pupils can be of various types and can
be suffering from various disabilities like, Sensory and physical needs, interaction and
socialisation, Autism Spectrum disorder, etc. The major problems these individual is learning
difficult therefore it is important for educators to plan inclusion which the focus of teacher
enable extra on these people in order to motivate them for learning and socialising. Thus, the
report concluded with deriving obstacles which come across when managing exam access and
learning of SEND students which is lack of resources and increasing work load of educators.
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when including children with special educational needs. School Psychology
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(CWSNs) IN ACCESSING THE EDUCATION: ROLE OF BARRIER FREE
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Research in developmental disabilities. 34(4). pp.1210-1225.
Jansen, S.L.G., Van der Putten, A.A.J. and Vlaskamp, C., 2013. What parents find important in
the support of a child with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities. Child: care,
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