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Special Arrangements
Cambridge ESOL provides a Special Arrangements service for some candidates, for example those with learning difficulties, hearing difficulties or visual difficulties.
How to apply for Special Arrangements
You must apply through your Cambridge ESOL centre as soon as possible. In the case of IELTS you must apply through your IELTS centre.
Please check the latest dates for application, which vary according to the examination and are usually several months before the exam. Your centre will tell you when you must apply.
The centre will ask for full details of your particular learning difficulty and you will be asked to provide a report from a qualified educational, clinical or chartered psychologist (see the Important notes section below for further details).
Learning difficulties
What Special Arrangements can you request?
1. Extra Time
If you have dyslexia or another specific learning difficulty, you may need extra time to complete a paper. This might be necessary if, for example, it takes you a long time to read the questions or write your answers.
You may normally apply for an extra 25% of the time allowed for a paper. Remember, however, that too much extra time may make you very tired.
You should talk to your centre about your particular needs.
2. Writing your Answers
You may apply to write your answers using a typewriter or word-processor, if you normally write this way. If permission is given for you to use a word-processor, it must not have a spell-check or thesaurus facility.
3. Answer Sheets
In most Cambridge ESOL papers, candidates are asked to transfer their answers to a computer-marked answer sheet. If this is going to cause you particular problems (for example if you find it difficult to follow the numbers/order of questions on a page), you may be allowed to write your answers on a separate piece of paper, or, if appropriate, directly on the question paper.
Important notes
Once you have received permission for the above Special Arrangements, your answers will be marked on the same basis as all other candidates.
You must obtain a report from a fully qualified educational, clinical or chartered psychologist. This must have been written within two years of taking the examination. It must give details of the specific learning difficulty and certify that appropriate and recognised tests have been carried out. However, if you have problems obtaining such a report, please contact your centre, as other medical evidence may be acceptable.
Hearing difficulties
What Special Arrangements can you request?
1. For the Listening Test
If you suffer from partial hearing loss and can hear with the help of headphones or special amplification equipment, you may ask your centre for permission to use this type of equipment.
Please note that you will not be allowed to use a Walkman or similar personal stereo.
If you want more help than this, you can ask for a lip-reading version of the listening test. Please note that this may not be available for some exams.) Your supervisor will read the listening texts to you. You will hear each text three times, and the supervisor will make sure you have enough time to read the questions and to write your answers.
The first time, the supervisor will read the text straight through without stopping.
The second time the supervisor will pause while reading the text. This is to give you time to think about the text and questions, and/or write one or more answers.
The third time the supervisor will read the text straight through again so you can check your answers.
It is important that you work with past examination material before the test so that you know what to expect.
We can send you past tests so you can practise this type of test with your teacher.
2. For the Speaking Test
For KET, PET, FCE, CAE, or BEC you must normally take the speaking test with a partner.
If you have hearing difficulties, you can apply to:
  • have extra time if it takes you longer than usual to say things or to understand what people say to you
  • take the test with a partner who is not doing the examination. This may help you to lipread what he or she is saying more easily
  • take the test without a partner (i.e. in the parts of the test which usually ask both candidates to talk to each other, you talk to the examiner instead). (Please note that this option is not available for BEC or CELS.)
Your teacher and the centre will be able to help and advise you.
Please note that you will not be allowed to use signing in the speaking test.
3. Endorsed Certificates
If you have severe hearing difficulties and the Special Arrangements described above are not sufficient, for example if you are unable to lip-read, then you can apply for exemption from either the listening test or the speaking test in certain exams. (You can only be exempt from one paper, except in the case of IELTS, see below.)
If this would be best for you, you will not have to do the listening test or the speaking test. If you pass the examination, you will then get a certificate which is endorsed (i.e. it has the following statement printed on it):
'The candidate was exempt from satisfying the full range of assessment objectives in the examination.'
NB: For all ESOL exams, you must apply for exemption before you take an examination.
Important notes
Please note that it may not always be possible for a lip-reading version of a particular examination to be prepared.
Visual Difficulties
What Special Arrangements can you request?
1. Extra Time
If you have visual difficulties, you will almost certainly need extra time to complete a paper. You may ask for an extra 25% of the normal time allowed for a paper.
You may ask for more than 25% extra time. This might be necessary if, for example, it takes you a long time to read the questions or record your answers.
Remember, however, that too much extra time may make you very tired.
You will also be allowed to have breaks whilst taking a paper, in addition to any extra time you need. Ask your centre to tell you what you will be allowed.
2. Reading the question papers in a different way
If you are partially sighted you may use the following equipment:
  • magnifying glass
  • closed-circuit television (CCTV)
  • hand-held scanning apparatus
  • You may ask a 'reader' to read and re-read questions to you (but see the Important notes section below).
3. Writing your answers in a different way
If you wish, you may record your answers in the following ways:
  • you may use your Braille machine
  • you may use your Braille machine, linked to a printer
  • you may use a typewriter or word-processor. If you want to use a word-processor, it must not have a spellcheck or thesaurus facility
  • you may dictate your answers to an amanuensis (see the Important notes section below).
4. Braille question papers
Braille versions of KET, PET, FCE, CAE, CPE, and BEC, can normally be made available.
Please tell us whether you need your papers in contracted or uncontracted Braille.
Please note:
The supervisor will also have a print version of each Braille paper. In some papers we arrange for the texts and the questions to be brailled in separate booklets.
We can send you past exam papers in Braille as practice material. Please ask us in good time, if you would like us to send you some past papers. Contact the ESOL Special Circumstances Unit (see the Further information section below).
5. Enlarged Question Papers
You can ask for two different kinds of enlarged question paper.
Type 1:
We enlarge the standard question paper making no changes to the layout or material. You will receive A3 size question papers. (Usually 15.5 point)
Type 2:
We change the question papers, removing 'visual' material which is not essential for answering the question. We then make large-print versions of the papers in A4 size. (Usually 18 point bold)
Note that we can also supply reduced print question papers.
6. Listening Tests
We make special arrangements for these tests.
Many of the questions in the listening tests ask candidates to make notes while they listen to a tape. If you are blind or have visual difficulties you may not be able to do this.
We produce a special version of the listening test.
You will hear the same material and answer the same questions as other candidates.
However, the supervisor will:
  • stop the tape before each part of the test to allow you enough time to read the questions
  • stop the tape at certain points during each part to allow you enough time to write one or more answers
  • stop the tape after each part to allow you enough time to check your answers.
You should note that when the tape is paused during a part, you:
  • may not need to write an answer at all.
  • may need to write more than one answer.
7. Speaking Tests
For KET, PET, FCE, CAE, or BEC you must normally take the speaking test with a partner.
If you have visual difficulties, you can apply to:
  • have extra time if it takes you longer than usual to read any exam material or decide what you want to say
  • take the test with a partner who is not taking the examination
  • take the test without a partner (i.e. in the parts of the test which usually ask both candidates to talk to each other, you talk to the examiner instead). (Please note that this option is not available for BEC or CELS.)
  • use adapted visual material (see below).
Parts of the speaking test for some exams are visual - they use pictures taken from newspapers or magazines, for example.
If you are partially sighted we can supply enlarged copies of these pictures. If you find it difficult to use enlarged pictures we can supply enlarged print versions of written descriptions of the photographs. Talk to your centre about which would be best for you.
We can also supply material in Braille for blind candidates. For example, in the Braille version of the FCE Speaking Test:
  • the examiner will spend a few minutes asking you to talk about yourself
  • you will then be given short written descriptions of two photographs in Braille. The examiner will ask you to compare and contrast the situations in the descriptions and give your opinion about them. You will have about a minute to do this
  • finally you will be asked to take part in various conversational activities using brailled notes or information.
8. Having a 'reader' or an amanuensis
A reader is a person who will read the questions out to you. Note that the reader will not explain the questions to you or offer any advice. A reader is not usually allowed to read out the texts in a Reading Test.
An amanuensis is a person who will write down your answers. If you would like an amanuensis to write down your answers, you should note that:
  • you will be asked to spell certain words
  • you must also indicate punctuation.
The amanuensis will also read your answers back to you if you wish.
We recommend that you practise with a reader/amanuensis before the examination. For example, you should make sure that you can spell out the letters of the alphabet.
Important notes
Please note that it may not always be possible for a Braille version of a particular examination to be prepared.
British Standard Braille is moving over towards the optional use of capital letters. Skills for Life Level 1 & 2 Reading may specifically test the use of capitals. Capitals will therefore be included in Braille versions of Skills for Life Reading in those tasks which test their use, and candidates who are preparing to take a Braille version of Skills for Life should be made aware of this. Capitals will not be included in texts or questions for other tasks for the time being.
For further information or advice about Special Arrangements contact:
Paul Filippetto
Cambridge Examinations Officer
New Cambridge Institute
Feltre / Treviso / Bassano del Grappa