Software to use that offers Spellcheck, Punctuation and Grammar but not the extras?

[Iansl2020]

Hi people,

 

We have students here that need a Word Processor for exams. Most of the time the requirement is for spell-checking to be disabled in which case we use the excellent ExamWritePad software. It would also be great to use this for those that require spell-checking to be enabled but the full entitlement of these students is described as Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar checking (SPAG). My understanding is that ExamWritePad does not have the Punctuation and Grammar checking aspects. So, my immediate thoughts are to give these Students Microsoft Word instead but does anyone know if this is acceptable? Word contains functions such as Thesaurus, Translation etc. that I suspect are not in line with what the exam boards allow.

 

Any thoughts from other schools out there?

 

Many thanks,

 

Ian

[ass17]

Hi people,

 

We have students here that need a Word Processor for exams. Most of the time the requirement is for spell-checking to be disabled in which case we use the excellent ExamWritePad software. It would also be great to use this for those that require spell-checking to be enabled but the full entitlement of these students is described as Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar checking (SPAG). My understanding is that ExamWritePad does not have the Punctuation and Grammar checking aspects. So, my immediate thoughts are to give these Students Microsoft Word instead but does anyone know if this is acceptable? Word contains functions such as Thesaurus, Translation etc. that I suspect are not in line with what the exam boards allow.

 

Any thoughts from other schools out there?

 

Many thanks,

 

Ian

 

You are quite correct EWP doesn’t offer SPAG and as far as I’m aware wasn’t allow under any circumstance, but I could be wrong as I’m not an exam officiating or exam board.

 

If SPAG were to be allowed then, yes, you could use word but you would be expected to batten down the hatches so to speak and disable things that aren’t relevant like thesauruses etc.. easier said than done from past experience, another reason why I wrote EWP.

 

Hope this helps, to a degree [emoji1303]

[Iansl2020]

Thanks for confirming my understanding.

 

I work in IT but i'm pretty sure the requirement is for SPAG rather than just spelling however, I will check again with our XL department as it is them that assess the pupils and then dictate the requirement to our Exams department.

 

As you say, locking down Word is a dark-art! Something that I have tried to achieve in the past and it has been messy to the point I gave up, went with ExamWritePad and have never looked back until now when the PAG aspect has cropped up!

[Iansl2020]

Just to follow up on this, this is an extract from the current JCQ regulations that seem to indicate that Grammar and also Predictive Text is allowed for some students (but no mention of punctuation?). It doesn't mention whether a Thesaurus is allowed or not but it is looking as though I may need to look at using Word for some students, maybe with some hacking to stop certain functionality....

 

"Use of speech recognition technology 5.7.4

Where the centre has approval for the use of a scribe and where it reflects the candidate’s normal way of working within the centre, as appropriate to his/her needs, the candidate may alternatively use: • a word processor with the spelling and grammar check facility enabled; (NB This arrangement will not be permitted in ELC, GCSE and GCE Modern Foreign Language specifications. See paragraph 5.7.6.) • a word processor with predictive text/spelling and grammar check facility enabled; (NB This arrangement will not be permitted in ELC, GCSE and GCE Modern Foreign Language specifications. See paragraph 5.7.6.) • speech recognition technology with predictive text when the candidate dictates into a word processor. Software (a screen reader) may be used to read back and correct the candidate’s dictated answers; (NB This arrangement will not be permitted in ELC, GCSE and GCE Modern Foreign Language specifications. See paragraph 5.7.6.) • computer software, producing speech, which is used to dictate to a scribe. However, the candidate will not have access to marks awarded for spelling, punctuation and/or grammar unless he/she has independently dictated spelling, punctuation and/or grammar, and this has been recorded on the scribe cover sheet."

Edited May 13, 2021 by Iansl2020

[ass17]

Just to follow up on this, this is an extract from the current JCQ regulations that seem to indicate that Grammar and also Predictive Text is allowed for some students (but no mention of punctuation?). It doesn't mention whether a Thesaurus is allowed or not but it is looking as though I may need to look at using Word for some students, maybe with some hacking to stop certain functionality....

 

"Use of speech recognition technology 5.7.4

Where the centre has approval for the use of a scribe and where it reflects the candidate’s normal way of working within the centre, as appropriate to his/her needs, the candidate may alternatively use: • a word processor with the spelling and grammar check facility enabled; (NB This arrangement will not be permitted in ELC, GCSE and GCE Modern Foreign Language specifications. See paragraph 5.7.6.) • a word processor with predictive text/spelling and grammar check facility enabled; (NB This arrangement will not be permitted in ELC, GCSE and GCE Modern Foreign Language specifications. See paragraph 5.7.6.) • speech recognition technology with predictive text when the candidate dictates into a word processor. Software (a screen reader) may be used to read back and correct the candidate’s dictated answers; (NB This arrangement will not be permitted in ELC, GCSE and GCE Modern Foreign Language specifications. See paragraph 5.7.6.) • computer software, producing speech, which is used to dictate to a scribe. However, the candidate will not have access to marks awarded for spelling, punctuation and/or grammar unless he/she has independently dictated spelling, punctuation and/or grammar, and this has been recorded on the scribe cover sheet."

 

I was going to quote that too thanks :-) [emoji1303]

[Iansl2020]

But, with it saying at the end that....

 

"However, the candidate will not have access to marks awarded for spelling, punctuation and/or grammar unless he/she has independently dictated spelling, punctuation and/or grammar,"

 

I then don't understand why they would ever be given software that does the spellcheck, punctuation and grammar if they will not receive any marks for it?

 

Im getting lost here!

[DavR]

But, with it saying at the end that....

 

"However, the candidate will not have access to marks awarded for spelling, punctuation and/or grammar unless he/she has independently dictated spelling, punctuation and/or grammar,"

 

I then don't understand why they would ever be given software that does the spellcheck, punctuation and grammar if they will not receive any marks for it?

 

Im getting lost here!

 

It was a long time ago last time I looked at this, but SPAG marks were in addition to the marks you get for content, something like an extra 5 marks out of 100.

 

So I guess if they are permitted spell check assisted writing, they're just ineligible for those few extra marks.