We enable learners

When we hear about learners with learning challenges, one immediately ask what can be done to give them a fair chance. 

However, the concession assistants will be able to support these learners during examinations on prove of the relevant concession from SACAI.

Therefore, the educators and parents must apply at  https://www.sacai.org.za/ for a specific concession as an enabler to maximise the academic development of those learners on an equal basis.

By removing barriers to perform, the opportunities for performance are equalised.

Effective support will enable learners to reflect their knowledge and skills.

The training and certification of concession assistants ensures that the standard of assessment is not compromised and learners will not have an unfair advantage over their peers. 

A reader will read all text in an examination paper to a learner with the following barriers to learning :

• Poor reading skills -  in order to relief tension and loss of time
• Visual - learners who cannot read Braille
• Physical challenges - learners who cannot read independently
• Learning difficulties

A separate venue need to be allocated to the concession assistant and learner under supervision of the invigilator.

Instructions for readers and learners :

• Reader read the exam paper to the learner
• Listen to the mark allocation at the end of each question
• The learner will decide which question to answer first, then the reader will read the question to the learner
• The reader may not explain any question or word
• The reader may indicate capital letters if not a language exam paper.
• When finished writing, the learner must tell the reader which question to do next
• The learner must indicate to the reader to read punctuation marks
• The learner may ask the reader to read his answer back to him
• The reader will read an open space in a sentence that requires an answer as 'blank'. Example "The prominent shark species found at Gansbaai is ..blank............." 
• Choice questions will be read with the word 'slash' between option a, b, c.
  Example 'The Southern Right Whale has ..no + slash .......blow hole(s) :
  a   4 slash
  b   1 slash
  c   2 slash
• The reader will read numbers printed in figures as e.g. "924" as nine hundred and twenty four". However if the number should be written as words, the reader will read it as figures "nine two four".
• Readers may not decode symbols or abbreviations. Example  
  5² must be pointed to and not read as "five squared" or "five to the power of two".
  The reader may not read ">/<" as "greater or less than", rather they must point to the symbol.
• Negative numbers must be read as "negative" and not "minus". Example -9 must be read as "negative 9" and not "minus 9".
• Complex mathematical operations must be read as they appear. Example (4x - 2y) - 11 should be read as "open bracket 4x minus 2y close bracket minus 11".
• Fractions must be read as they appear. Example 3/15 must be read as "3 over 15" and x/y must be read as "x over y".
• Readers may read "R" as "rand" and "%" as "percent"

• Scribes write on behalf of the learner
• Scribes may not read any part of the paper to the learner and may only read the learner's answers back to him or if the answer of the learner is not properly heard by the reader.
• Scribes my not assist learners in any way in answering the paper. 
• The scribes may not explain the meaning of any word or question.
• Scribes may not indicate that there are too few facts or an answer is too short.
• The scribe will end the paper if the learner is satisfied at the end and rules it off.
• The scribe and learner will sign each page of the answer book, confirming that both are satisfied that all protocols were observed and document and may be submitted.
• The learner must read the paper and take note of the mark allocation for each question.
• The learner must decide which question to answer first.
• The learner will tell the scribe what to write down verbatim.
• The learner must indicate the start of a new sentence or paragraph as well as punctuation to be used
• The scribe will read the answer written down, back to the learner to make changes if necessary and time permits.
• If the learner wish, he may first plan and write his draft answer and read it to the scribe.
• The learner will write drafts for letters and essays themselves.
• The learner must indicate the beginning and end of all sentences and paragraphs as well as punctuation marks such as capital letter at beginning of sentence and the  end of a sentence.
• The learner will indicate a heading to be underlined.
• The learner will indicate when to move to the next question.
• The learner will review and edit what was written.

Source : SACAI.org.za

The role of the prompter is to redirect the learner's attention back to the exam paper. This intervention is needed especially for learners with autism, Asperger's, ADD, ADHD.

• The prompter may also be the invigilator of the venue.
• The prompter may do the following if required ;
• Refocus learners attention on the task by a tap on the shoulder
• Provide verbal encouragement to refocus
• Providing time management advice

Refocus and encouragement should always comply with the integrity of the assessment.