Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 19 May 1994

Vol. 442 No. 10

Adjournment Debate. - Special Assessment of Dyslexic Students.

Mrs. Owen

I am disappointed that the Minister for Education, or at least a Minister from her Department, is not here as this is a matter of extreme urgency because of the nature of the complaint I have to make. I ask the Minister to take a personal interest in the treatment by her Department of applications by dyslexic students for assistance during their leaving certificate and junior certificate examinations.

As I understand it, applications for assistance are made to the Department of Education either early in the year of the examination or late in the previous year, and an assessor is sent from the Department to decide how much assistance the student requires. This year I have received a number of complaints about refusals by the Department to give any assistance whatsoever either by way of a special invigilator, an amanuensis or a specialist corrector of the examination papers.

Students with dyslexia — sometimes they are referred to as students with specific learning difficulties — show some learning skills developed to an above average or average standard but also show organising or learning difficulties which limit the development of their curriculum skills in some or all of speech, reading, spelling, writing, numeracy and behaviour.

This variety of difficulties in learning leads to a special education need for many students. It is essential that the Department distinguishes between the slow learner child, for whom all components of learning are weak and all the routes to learning are difficult, and others for whom one or two specific routes to learning are impaired. Children who are unable to use many of the major components of learning to the full could and must be taught to do so.

In the approach to meeting the special education needs of children who learn differently and who, because of specific limitations in their learning skills, fail to acquire adequate skills in reading, writing, spelling and numeracy, we must consider the question as put by a well-known specialist in dyslexia, Harry Chasty: if this child does not learn the way we teach, can we teach him-her the way he-she learns? Can we then go on to extend and develop their competence in learning, so giving them more effective access to language literacy and their curriculum?

I wish to draw the Minister's attention to the case of one young student from a school in north Dublin who was allowed specialist correction facilities on her junior certificate papers but has been refused a similar facility for her leaving certificate. This girl is highly intelligent and has ambitions to go on to third level. However, the Department's refusal only three days ago has created great tension in these crucial weeks before her examination. There should be absolutely no difficulty in providing similar facilities for this young girl as were provided in her junior certificate examination. Her dyslexic condition has not changed and there should be no need for a reassessment.

My colleague, Deputy Enda Kenny, told me of the case of a young man in a Sligo school who has been refused a special invigilator for his leaving certificate. This young man has a very high IQ in some areas but, sadly, in reading he has a much lower IQ. He is distressed by this refusal and his parents are deeply concerned that his ability to do well in his leaving certificate is being affected by the Department's refusal. I have details of that young man if the Minister wishes to have them. These are not isolated cases.

I warmly welcome the Minister's announcement today that additional grant aid will be made available for special categories of education. However, there are students in our general second level schools who are being treated in a discriminatory fashion. They are suffering during the current examinations and, if the Department does not change the manner in which it deals with applications for assistance by dyslexic students, they will suffer in being unable to fulfil their ambitions towards further education. I appeal to the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dea, to ask the Minister for Education to review this practice in her Department and to consider the specific case I have raised.

Mr. O'Dea

I am glad to be given the opportunity of outlining the Department of Education's position regarding the case referred to by Deputy Owen of a girl who is sitting for her leaving certificate examination this year and on whose behalf Marino College, Fairview, Dublin 3, has applied for special consideration in her forthcoming examinations on the grounds that she is impaired by a specific learning difficulty.

The Department has operated a scheme of special consideration for many years in the case of candidates who have disabilities. The scheme is intended for candidates who have learnt the knowledge to be examined but who would be impaired in communicating it to an examiner because of a physical or psycholigical disability.

It should be explained that special consideration does not mean more lenient marking. The Department of Education's aim is to remove, as far as possible, the impact of the disability on the candidate's performance and to enable the candidate to demonstrate his or her level of attainment. A range of facilities is available and these are tailored, as far as possible, to the needs of the individual candidates.

The position in regard to specific learning difficulty is that all applications for special consideration based on the existence of this condition are referred to the psychological service of the Department. Special consideration is approved where the Department's psychologists are satisfied that the condition is of such a degree that the candidate would be impaired in reading the questions or in writing the answers.

Mrs. Owen

On a point of order, when I put down my question I did not make available for public consumption the name of the student and the college concerned as I did not have the parents' permission to do so. I am surprised the Minister has referred to this specific case. I would appreciate, in the event of it being covered by the media, if they would be conscious of the fact that I did not mention the student's name. Since I did not include the name in the question — I said the details were supplied — it is unusual to refer to it in the reply.

Mr. O'Dea

I have avoided mentioning the student's name. As Deputy Owen may have noticed. I simply mentioned the school involved as I also believed it was a little unusual to give the person's name.

Mrs. Owen

The name is in the script and I was concerned it would be circulated.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

For the benefit of Members, the spoken word is what is recorded in the Official Report.

Mrs. Owen

I wanted to ensure that the script was not circulated to the media.

Mr. O'Dea

Special consideration is approved where the Department's psychologists are satisfied that the condition is of such a degree that the candidate would be impaired in reading the questions or in writing the answers. It is also approved where the examiner would have difficulty in deciphering the candidate's handwriting. A wide range of facilities is available in the case of a pupil who is impaired. A candidate who is unable to read, or is effectively unable to read, may be allowed the service of a person who will read the questions. A candidate who is unable to write, or is effectively unable to write, may be allowed the service of a scribe or the use of a mechanical aid such as a tape recorder, a typewriter or a word processor. Extra time may be allowed where the candidate is unable to make adequate use of the services or aids allowed.

The facility which is afforded the majority of candidates who are impaired by a specific learning difficulty is, however, simply to ensure that their answerbooks are marked by examiners who are experienced in marking the work of such candidates and in deciphering their handwriting. These examiners will ensure that full credit is given for all work done.

An application for special consideration on the grounds of a special learning difficulty was made to the Department late last year in the case to which Deputy Owen referred. Samples of the student's written work and a tape of her responses to selected questions from previous English examination papers accompanied the application. The Department's psychologist considered the psychological report which was submitted when the student sat for her intermediate certificate examination in 1991 and the samples of the written work now submitted. She noted that the samples were very legible and that the contents were clear and well structured. It is the opinion of the Department's psychologist that the student's written work has improved considerably since she sat for her intermediate certificate examination. She has concluded that a regular examiner would not have difficulty reading her work and has expressed the opinion that in the circumstances special consideration is not warranted.

As already stated, special consideration often consists of simply passing a candidate's scripts to an examiner who is used to deciphering poor handwriting. As there was no need even for this, in the opinion of the Department's phychologist, the school was informed on 5 May that the Department was not prepared to grant special consideration in this case.

I should add that the existence of a special learning difficulty does not automatically qualify a candidate for special consideration in examinations. Even though candidates may have a specific difficulty with reading, writing or spelling they may not require the provision of any special facilities provided they can read the question papers of the required level and write legibly and intelligibly. Each individual case is considered on its merits.

I apologise for the Minister for Education who is unavoidably absent, as is the Minister of State at the Department of Education. As Deputy Owen has requested, I will contact the Minister about this matter tomorrow.

Mrs. Owen

I will give the Minister the details of the other case I mentioned. It is important that when a Deputy puts down a question on the Adjournment and does not include the name of the person involved, it does not appear in a script from the Department. I do not know whether this script has been extensively circulated.

The Dáil adjourned at 5.10 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 24 May 1994.