Change is coming, and it’s good news for dyslexic students, says Sheraleen Braganza.
Our exam system is about to change. I have been banging on about the benefits of touch typing for years, especially regarding neurodivergent learners, and I am thrilled that things are changing. Pearson is to offer candidates the chance to take Edexcel’s GCSE English language and English literature exams on-screen for the first-time next summer (2025). This is wonderful news for students with dyslexia. According to Sharon Hague of Pearson Schools, “On-screen is a better experience for students who need accessibility adjustments. Students can zoom in to increase their font size and choose colour filters on-screen during exams, something their school or college would otherwise need to request in advance of their exams.”
Printed exam papers and handwritten answers will still be available for the foreseeable future, but in just a few years, all exams will be online. We know that learners with dyslexia are not necessarily linear thinkers. They often have their best ideas after finishing their answer, and end up writing new content on a different page, with arrows and asterisks to show where it should go. Word processing allows them to delete, edit and reorder text and produce a clean copy. It also allows them to highlight and annotate keywords in the question to help plan and cut and paste text to make their essays tighter and more relevant. “It’s what many students are used to doing when they work at home and in the classroom,” said Sharon, “and it’s undoubtedly how they will work in their careers too.”
Legibility matters
Handwriting is a key focus in primary education. Still, it is a sad fact that many children with dyslexia and associated challenges, such as dyspraxia and dysgraphia, never develop a tidy script. Some experts believe there is a link between high intelligence and illegible handwriting. People used to joke about doctors’ appalling scribble, but fortunately, they print their prescriptions these days. Some of our greatest authors, including Jane Austen and Kafka, had handwriting that would perplex examiners today.
Touch typing for dyslexic learners
Children with dyslexia often confuse letters such as b/d and h/y when they write by hand, but this problem disappears when they use a keyboard because upper-case letters are printed on the keys. Touch typing proficiency fosters a smoother exam experience by reducing cognitive load. When students are proficient in touch typing, they no longer need to divert their attention to locate keys on the keyboard, and this allows them to focus entirely on what they’re writing. At its simplest, they move from thinking at letter level to working at word and sentence level and concentrating on comprehending and answering the exam question. This streamlined cognitive process enhances concentration and reduces the likelihood of mental fatigue, ensuring that students can maintain optimal performance throughout the exam duration.
There are many different estimates for the speed at which young people write by hand (15-20 wpm on average) and how fast they type using two or four fingers while looking at the keyboard (15—25 wpm). The average speed for someone touch typing with ten fingers is between 40 and 60 wpm. In simple terms, a touch typist can produce legible text at twice the speed of someone writing by hand.
Safety concerns
As a former nurse, working in hospitals, schools and the community, I have been shocked to read about the rise of arthritis in young people. Research in 2024 by Proxy Scrape found that young people are now showing signs of early-onset arthritis. I have been advocating touch typing for children for many years because I know that over a lifetime, ‘hunt and peck’ will damage the body. This is because the writer is hunched over a keyboard or device rather than sitting back and looking at the screen.
Schools have a safeguarding duty to learners, and keeping them physically safe is part of this. Occupational therapists believe touch-typing is one of the best ways to combat repetitive strain injury.
Positive reinforcement
It is human nature to want to achieve, be praised and congratulated. Two critical elements regarding positive reinforcement for dyslexic learners are constructive feedback and celebrating achievements. With constructive feedback, it is best to provide specific, positive feedback focusing on effort and progress rather than just outcome. When celebrating accomplishments, it is best to recognise and celebrate both minor and significant milestones to build self-esteem and confidence.
Deb Mullett is the Communication and Literacy Lead at Parmiters School near Watford. She wanted her older students with dyslexia and other neurodivergent challenges to learn a skill and get a qualification they could put on their CVs and college applications. “I wanted to give them something they could be proud of and use in the bigger world outside of school. Something that would help them in later life and not just in a classroom situation.” On discovering Open Awards delivered a level 1 and 2 online touch-typing qualification, she enrolled her students. The qualification consisted of a short multiple-choice theory assessment and a timed typing test that measured speed and accuracy. She told us that several of her students, some of whom may not have achieved any qualifications, were “absolutely thrilled and peacocking around the classroom at their achievement”.
Learn-to-type software is the resource that equips the learner with this life skill and allows for a new and more accessible medium for sitting examinations.
Sheraleen Braganza
Sheraleen Braganza is Director of Education and Special Educational Needs at KAZ Type Ltd, an education software company.
Website: kaz-type.com
X: @KazType
LinkedIn: @sheraleen-braganza