Working with
The oral work of the English and Modern Languages GCSE causes concern to pupils who stammer and is ideally prepared for from Year 7 by long term planning to achieve the best results.
With this, many students who stammer, like Matthew, may only require the simple strategies of support in this resource to achieve at their level of ability in oral work, and these can be provided within the school. However, if more significant adaptations are required then the Examination Boards must be contacted.
All the Boards follow the advice on access arrangements of the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) as based on the provisions of the Special Educational Needs and Disability acts (SENDA). The Board will then make a judgment on the basis of the candidate's individual need. This need must be clearly evidenced and demonstrate that the stammer is having a substantial effect on the pupil's oral work so it may be helpful if the candidate is placed on School Action.
When the student has the support of a speech and language therapist, then that professional may be able to offer advice, and/or provide information for the teacher or the Examination Board about the effects of stammering on an oral presentation.
In English it is more likely that school-based strategies of support will be adequate, as the teacher sets and assesses the oral component and, if a good relationship has been built up, the student can discuss the best approaches that would help him to reach his potential. There is no substitute for good preparation and knowledge of the task, and sometimes students who stammer may be so scared of the prospect of oral work that they refuse to think about it in advance and neglect the essential planning.
Sometimes, the student who stammers has the advantage of understanding the skills of communication from speech and language therapy: for instance managing body language and interacting effectively with other pupils. The BSA knows of pupils who stammer, sometimes quite severely, who have achieved a good grade by delivering an oral task with good content and ideas, and communicating effectively.
The criteria for the award of the grade C do emphasise the need for the student to communicate ideas successfully. Students have many opportunities to practice their oral work in Year 10 before the assessments of Year 11. In the video clip, Matthew is shown in Year 10 working with another pupil so that his confidence is built up. A 'step by step' approach that sets targets with the student for the oral tasks is particularly helpful for the pupil who stammers.
The Examination Board gives the English teacher the discretion to manage the oral task to help the pupil to be as relaxed as possible. Group work may take place in a friendship group, and all pupils are allowed to deliver their individual piece within a set word limit, rather than the prescribed time that can cause stress. The English teacher should strive to work with the pupil to ensure effective participation in the oral work, if a speech and language therapist is able to offer ideas and assistance that can be most helpful.
Modern languages are a little trickier because the teacher does not finally assess the oral work, although the testing is done in school under the conditions prescribed by the Examination Board. The syllabus for these is continually being amended so it is impossible to provide prescriptive advice. However, as the opportunity to repeat the speaking module is being offered in 2009 by some Boards, staff could consider this to be more appropriate for a student who stammers.
When adaptations, such as extra time for the oral component, are required then the Examination Board must be contacted. All the Boards follow the advice on access arrangements of the JCQ. The Board will then make a judgement on the basis of the candidate's need. This need must be clearly evidenced and demonstrate that the stammer is having a substantial effect on the pupil's oral work so it may be helpful if the candidate is placed on School Action. When the student has the support of a speech and language therapist, then that professional may be able to offer advice, and/or provide information for the teacher or the Examination Board about the effects of stammering on an oral presentation.
Schools will judge whether to apply for access arrangements and the BSA is pleased that now there is no indication on the certificate that this has been provided.
The key to achievement in oral work for the student who stammers is good relationships with his subject tutors right from the start, and the support of a key tutor as mentor to whom difficulties can be mentioned before they escalate. These should have built up the confidence and self esteem of the student and help him to manage his speech. The support of the peer group will become increasingly significant and their acceptance of stammering speech is part of the challenge for the inclusive school.
The decision by some schools, in the recent past, to exclude the pupil who stammers from submitting an oral component in English or Modern Languages is out of step with the expectation that staff will work with the pupil, and any outside agency, to adapt curricular requirements to allow for participation. The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) now makes schools responsible for adaptations to the curriculum so that a pupil with a disability is not discriminated against.
This is helpful for a pupil who stammers as it raises awareness of individual need even though the pupil and his parents may not consider stammering to be a disability. The school is guided by the DDA to be proactive in its response to individual needs in support of any intervention offered through the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice.
The Examination Boards equally have their own DDA policies in place to support any school application for adaptations. When this good practice is in place, the student who stammers should be able to achieve in the oral work, according to ability without his certificate indicating that access arrangements were applied.
Matthew has a discussion with another pupil