Discover how one teacher is making assessments more inclusive for students with learning impairments.
Kōrero as alternative to writing
Noticing that about a third of students struggled with writing abstracts in her research essay assignment, Alice offered alternatives. Students who had disclosed conditions like ADHD or specific learning disabilities with impairment in written expression can now present their abstracts orally or deliver slide presentations instead of essays. While uptake has been low, students have appreciated the flexibility.
Implementation challenges
Challenges persist such as ensuring equivalence between written and oral assessments, maintaining fair grading across formats, and, in general, balancing any innovation with an already heavy workload given the high student-to-teacher ratios in Criminology courses.
The equity equation
Alice has observed more students disclosing disabilities, especially ADHD. However, she notes equity concerns, as diagnoses can be costly; an ongoing challenge for affected students. While UoA’s Inclusive Learning do not provide assessments for specific neurodivergences, they can point students in the right direction of where to get one.
Small steps towards inclusivity
Despite hurdles, Alice encourages colleagues to take small steps towards inclusivity:
- Learn about how staff can support students.
- Understand how various conditions impact learning.
- Consider implementing small, impactful adjustments to make your assessment design more inclusive.
NEURODIVERSITY AND LEARNING This information is a starting point to support the diverse learning needs of students. Neurodivergent students with dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, Autism Spectrum, and mental health conditions have many strengths. However, the following factors may be affecting their studies. If you would like to know more: email inclusivelearning@auckland.ac.nz PROCESSING AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING WRITING • Slow and inefficient processing speed. • Easily distracted and short concentration span. • Poor working memory. • Problems organising themselves and study tasks. • Problems with sequencing. • Poor concept of time. • Inaccuracy in calculations. • Poor spatial awareness. • Difficulty combining listening with writing. • Difficulty understanding social cues/messages. • Discrepancy between written and verbal ability. Difficulty organising ideas and structuring answers. • Slow to produce written work. • Inconsistent and inappropriate use of grammar and punctuation. • Inconsistent and bizarre spelling. • Confusion of function words: on/off, so/as. • Mistakes at individual letter level: b/d, p/q. Tendency to confuse homonyms: fair/fear Avoiding words that are difficult to spell. • Confusing and transposing numbers and/or letters: 6/9, 3/E. • Difficulty taking notes. • Inaccuracies when copying. • Slow, untidy or illegible handwriting. • READING Difficulty scanning and/or skim-reading text. • Slow to read and comprehend text. • • • Difficulty retaining and recalling text. Tendency to misread or misinterpret instructions. Tendency to confuse similar words: submit/summit. • Difficulty learning terminology: • mean/median/mode. Difficulty in text-heavy exams (including multiple choice questions). • Avoidance of reading tasks; preference for visual or auditory information. Tendency to hear mistakes but not see them. • Poor proofreading skills. • Dislike reading aloud. “TO BE, OR NOT TO BE…” SPEAKING Tendency to mispronounce words: dyslexic/dylectic, identify/indentify. • Errors in grammar: was/were. • Variable speed of delivery. Tendency to go off topic. Difficulty finding the right word. • Delay in responding. • Tendency to avoid speaking in groups.
Figure 1 – Neurodiversity and learning infographic: understanding this information is the first step towards supporting neurodiverse students
Sparking crucial conversations
Alice’s experience sparks important conversations about inclusive teaching. It highlights both the benefits of alternative assessments and the need for better support – not just for students, but also for teaching staff and Ratonga Hauātanga Tauira | Student Disability Services, who are increasingly stretched thin as expectations rise.
By sharing this story, we hope to inspire dialogue on creating a more inclusive academic environment while acknowledging the real challenges faced by those at the forefront of these efforts.