Introduced in 2001, the Spelling and Grammar Waiver (SGW) was designed for students with Dyslexia and spelling challenges during their Junior and Leaving Certificate Examinations in Ireland. Offered by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), it's among a handful of examination accommodations meant to level the playing field for students with unique learning requirements. With the SGW, students are exempted from the spelling and grammar portion, which comprises 10% of their exam scores. However, they don't forfeit this 10%. Their scores are adjusted or pro-rated based on their performance in the remaining sections of the exam.
Interestingly, SGW usage has grown annually, with 9% of students in their Leaving Certificate now opting for it. Yet, before recent studies, its validity and fairness hadn't been scrutinised.
A pivotal study by James & Hannah in 2017 compared mock Leaving Certificate papers from two groups of students: those with an SGW (indicating dyslexia) and those without. Papers with the SGW were marked first, and the same set was evaluated two months later without the waiver.
For accommodations to be considered fair, they should benefit students with specific needs without significantly aiding those without such needs. For instance, larger text benefits visually impaired students without providing an undue advantage to those with standard vision.
James and Hannah’s findings were telling: papers evaluated with the SGW consistently scored higher, regardless of the student's dyslexia status. This suggests that the SGW potentially offers an undue advantage, raising questions about its fairness in evaluation.
While many might perceive the SGW as a sure-fire way to boost marks, James and Hannah discovered that 61% of dyslexic students indeed scored higher with the SGW, but a surprising 29% scored lower. So, its benefits aren't universal.
Given the high stakes of the Leaving Certificate and the impact on college admissions, results must reflect student capabilities genuinely. The current research suggests that some students might overstate their spelling difficulties to gain this perceived advantage.
To make the evaluation process more equitable, Dr James and her team developed the SPaRCS test for students seeking a spelling and grammar waiver via the Reasonable Accommodations at Certificate Examinations (RACE) scheme. This innovative test incorporates effort indicators, alerting educators when students might be overstating their challenges. Now, teachers can be more assured that waivers are granted to those genuinely in need.
If you are keen on understanding the RACE Scheme further, the effective application of waivers, and how to fill out the different RACE application forms, you can explore our self-paced online courses which will show you everything you need to know about RACE and DARE.
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