For many, O level and A level exams are makers or breakersof dreams. However, for students with dyslexia, the race to success is especially painful, Deborah Chetcuti tells Sarah Carabott.

Changing simple things, such as the font used for exam questions and the type of paper they are printed on, would put students with dyslexia on a fairer, more level playing field with their peers, according to a university professor.

“We’re not asking for an overhaul of the system or to do away with exams, but administrative changes such as the design of the paper or alternative modes of assessment,” Deborah Chetcuti, associate professor at the university’s Mathematics and Science Education Department, told The Sunday Times of Malta.

Prof. Chetcuti was speaking to this newspaper following the publication of a book, D pebble in my shoe, about the examination experience of teenagers with dyslexia.

The book, printed on ivory-coloured paper and in a sans-serif font, was a team effort by Prof. Chetcuti, Dr Ruth Falzon from the Faculty for Social Wellbeing and personal and social development education officer Stephen Camilleri.

It started out as academic research but was then published in book form with Erasmus funds to give a voice to the students.

“We interviewed eight students who had run the examination race and made it to post-secondary education and university, because we want to show other teenagers with dyslexia that they are not the only ones racing with a pebble in their shoe,” Prof. Chetcuti said.

Between seven to 10 per cent of the population has dyslexia and faces varied challenges: reading and writing troubles, difficulties with short-term memory and the sequencing of ideas, and amplified anxiety when working under time constraints.

Prof. Chetcuti believes the education system should bring out the joy of learning: “Marks and grades should not define who we are.”

Exams do not show the true potential of students with dyslexia, she added, urging the local examinations board to consult with students about their difficulties.

To date, those who are assessed and found to have dyslexia can apply for certain arrangements, such as extra time or assistance from an invigilator if they cannot decipher words during an exam.

Still, there are simple proposals – such as holding an exam at a familiar place in a bid to reduce stress and providing teachers with training on dyslexia –that could help bring about a level playing field.

Mark,* an 18-year-old university arts student, has several other suggestions: some exams that require critical analysis could be held orally, while year-long portfolios could be an alternative form of assessment.

“Exams make me anxious before even sitting for them, as I know from the start that I will not get the grade I deserve. It’s a do-or-die situation, and the results never reflect all my hard work. If I deserve a B, I’ll only get a C,” he said.

Mark feels lucky that he has had positive support at school and home, but he often wonders about those who got lost in the system. For him, dyslexia is an ability, not a disability, as he finds it easy to think outside the box and solve problems quickly.

In fact, people with dyslexia are very creative and artistic and excel in the sciences.

Teaming up with fellow teens with dyslexia, Mark goes around to schools, raising awareness and advocating for a change. More information is available on the Facebook page Dyslexic Teens Dialogue.

Find more information about the book on deborah.chetcuti@um.edu.mt.

* Name has been changed

Tweaks that would make a difference

• Larger, sans-serif font for exam questions such as century gothic.

• Print questions on yellowish paper.

• Additional time for exams.

• Oral examinations for some subjects.

• Provision of computers as alternative to handwriting.

• Basing final mark not just on exams, but also portfolios.

Living with dyslexia: what they say

“By isolating me from the rest of the class, my teacher changed the way I looked at myself. The embarrassment these experiences caused is something I can never forget; it has led me to constantly struggle with my self-esteem.”

“When I was assessed and it turned out that I was dyslexic, my friends found out. They turned against me and no one wanted to be friends with me anymore.”

“When the teacher gave us the test back, she threw my copybook on the desk and told me that I hadn’t studied for the test. She did this in front of the whole class, and I felt really upset and humiliated. I felt as if I was nothing.”

“I just wonder how many great minds are lost simply because the type of intelligence and ideas they have are not the ones the examiners want.”