It's exam time again at my college and,
naturally enough, nerves are on edge. But there's one accommodation (for
dyslexic students registered in the disability unit) that really makes this
time easier. It's the most used accommodation of all and it's taking the exam in
the disability unit as opposed to the regular classroom. Why is this
accommodation so helpful? Because you get to sit in a less stressful, less
competitive environment -Who needs to watch other students leaving the
classroom in their droves while you are only half done? It's much better to
avoid all that by being somewhere else. The other benefit of taking your exam
away from the classroom is that you get extra time, typically time and a half.
In my college you need to have filled
out a form in order to get any accommodations, including this one, and if
you're on the ball you get this done, at the disability unit, at the start of
the semester. If you forget to be early you must at least get that form done
several days before exams. The form is carbon copied so that there are a total
of three identical pages. You keep one, the disability unit gets one and your
professor gets his too. The form means that everyone knows you will quietly
leave your classroom to take the exam and no one gets surprised. If you haven't
got onto this yet, ask about it. My students say that this accommodation is
huge for them and makes all the difference.
What if you are mildly dyslexic and not
registered as having a disability? - Talk to your professor and maybe get
advice from your school's disability unit or student services too. Many
decisions are left to the discretion of individual professors so you may find
that an understanding professor is very happy to accommodate you, especially if
your need is relatively simple, like being allowed extra time.
