Assessment and exam assistants (Writers, Typists and Readers)

Working as an assistant

Some students who have difficulties completing internal and external assessments (including exams) are able to use assistants to help them.

A student may need an assistant to:

The school trains the assistants they need.

There are certain standards where students can’t use a Reader or Writer.

An assistant should not be:

a teacher of the subject or the student
a relative of the student
a friend of the student
another student at the school
a tutor
a close family friend
anyone else with a reasonably close personal relationship to either the student or their family.

This is to avoid a possible conflict of interest and others thinking a student might have an advantage.

There may be exceptions due to the student’s individual situation.

Please contact NZQA’s SAC Team at sac@nzqa.govt.nz to discuss any exceptional circumstances.

You must only do the tasks allowed by the SAC provision for the student.

As a Reader you are the eyes of the student.

Both you and the student will have a copy of the assessment.

Read the assessment to the student clearly and at a speed they can follow.
Make sure that they can easily hear what you are reading.
Re-read instructions or a passage if the student asks you to. Do this clearly and wait for them to ask you to read again.
Check that the student is at the right place in the assessment before they start writing (e.g. correct question number).
The student may use a computer to type their answers.

You are not allowed to interpret the question or words for the student. This will make their result invalid.
Avoid giving the student facial expressions or being hesitant if you see them making mistakes. Please be patient if the student works slowly.
Do not use a computer for a student.
Do not encourage or prompt the student to work harder or faster in the assessment. This will make their result invalid.

You are the hands of the student. It is your responsibility to write or type the answers for the student.

Both you and the student will have a copy of the assessment.

The requirements and conditions are the same for a Writer and a Typist typing a student’s work.

Make sure that you are writing or typing any answers in the right place in the assessment (e.g. correct question number).
Make sure that the student can easily see what you are writing.
Only write the words that they use and in the order that they say them to you.
Spell all words correctly and add punctuation.
A student may sketch out a few ideas for long answers or essays in the working/planning space in their booklet. They may then read from this.
Re-write, edit or amend an answer they have already given, if the student asks you to.
A student may need to draw or map etc to show they can do this by themselves. A writer can only add any words or labels the student asks them to.
If you are using a computer, the computer must be set up as if the student was going to type for themselves.
For physically disabled students, you may write non-English answers in a language assessment, but the student may be required to spell each word and add accents as needed.
A Writer or Typist for Te Reo Rangatira assessments may write in Te Reo Māori as a student speaks it.

Do not interpret or make suggestions about what you think the student is trying to write. This will make their result invalid.
Do not copy any sentences that the student has written. They must speak their words to you.
The student must not write out a complete answer and then read it to you or have you copy it.
Avoid giving the student facial expressions or being hesitant if you see or hear them making mistakes. Please be patient if the student works slowly.
Do not encourage or prompt the student to work harder or faster in the assessment. This will make their result invalid.