Readers and Writers for Exams Tips on how to use them well

Having a Reader – how can it help? A reader can help you decode a text Some people understand a text better when it is read to them It can speed up the time taken to read in exams

What a Reader can do Read back what you have written, if you ask Read numbers printed as figures in words Give you the spelling of a word if it appears on the paper if you ask Read the instructions and questions if you ask In the English Language exam, they can read the questions in the Writing section but not the Reading section It is up to you to make clear what you want them to read, they are not allowed to read anything unless you ask.

What a Reader must not do Use any emphasis or change their tone of voice (it might give you a clue!) Give you spellings if they are not on the paper Explain or make questions clearer, put things in different words In the English Language paper, they can’t read any of the questions in the Reading section Tell you or give advice about which questions to do, when to move on or what order to answer questions in Decode any symbols (eg < or >), they just point to these

Useful things you might need to say ‘Please can you say that again.’ ‘Please can you speak a bit louder.’ ‘Can you stop reading there.’ ‘Please speak more slowly.’ ‘What does that word say?’ ‘Wait a minute.’ Remember – it is your exam, your Reader wants to help!

Having a Scribe – how can it help? It can help you to express what you want to say more quickly You don’t have to worry about spelling You don’t have to worry about your handwriting

What a Scribe can do Write or type exactly what you say Draw maps, graphs or diagrams exactly as you tell them to Change what they have written or typed if you ask them to Read back what they have written if you ask them to

What a Scribe must not do Draw for you in a Design exam Help you with answers/ suggest ideas Tell you when an answer is finished Tell you which questions to choose Tell you when to move on to the next question Tell you which questions to do first

Useful things you might need to say ‘Please can you read that bit back to me.’ ‘I want to change that bit.’ ‘Cross that bit out.’ ‘Can you write a little faster please.’

Who should you see if you have questions about your arrangements? Mrs Allen Ross Miss Merckx Mrs Gleave Any questions or comments?