Providers and partners

Assessment and Exam Assistants (Readers and Writers/Typists)

For all enquiries, please email sac@nzqa.govt.nz

Assessments where SAC provision is not appropriate

Special assessment conditions (SAC) are not appropriate where they may

compromise the integrity of the assessment
compromise the assessment objectives of the standard
provide unfair advantage over other students.

There may be certain standards for which the use of a Reader or Writer may not be appropriate. Further guidance can be found at Assessments where SAC provision is not appropriate or allowed

Working as an Assistant (Reader and/or Writer/Typist)

The aim of the reader and writer/typist is to assist the student to overcome their learning difficulty during both internal assessments and external exams, and for practice assessments. You may be reading the activity brief or questions to the student and their answers back to them, or writing/typing for the student, or reading and writing/typing for the student.

The school provides training for the assistants.

Note: The requirements and conditions applying to a Writer apply equally to a Typist typing a student’s work.

Who may not be an Assistant (Reader and/or Writer/Typist)?

To avoid a possible conflict of interest and the perception of providing a possible advantage, 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.

There may be exceptions given the particular circumstances the student faces. Please contact sac@nzqa.govt.nz to discuss any exceptional circumstances.

The Job of the Reader

You must only do the task(s) for which the student has been approved special assessment conditions.
As a reader you are the eyes of the student.
Both you and the student will have a copy of the assessment.
You will 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.
They may ask you to re-read instructions or a passage. Do so clearly and wait for them to ask you to read again. You are not allowed to interpret the question or words for the student. To do so will invalidate their results.
Please be patient if the student works slowly and avoid giving the student facial expressions or being hesitant if you see mistakes being made.
Before they start writing, check that the student is at the right place in the assessment (e.g. correct question number).
The student may use a computer to type their answers. A reader is not allowed to use a computer for a student.
A reader is not allowed to encourage or prompt the student to work harder or faster in the assessment. To do so will invalidate their results.
In any language exam you can only read the English instructions for the student. You are not permitted to read the language that is being tested. However, for Te Reo Rangatira, a Te Reo Māori reader is allowed.

The Job of the Writer/Typist

You are the hands of the student and it is your responsibility to write/type the answers for the student.
Both you and the student will have a copy of the assessment.
Make sure that you are writing/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.
You are not allowed to interpret or to make suggestions about what you think the student is trying to write. To do so will invalidate their results.
You are to spell all words correctly and may add punctuation.
You must not copy any sentences that the student has written. They must speak their words to you.
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.
The student must not write out a complete answer and then read it to you or have you copy it.
The student may ask you to re-write, edit or amend an answer they have already given.
Please be patient if the student works slowly and avoid giving the student facial expressions or being hesitant if you see or hear mistakes being made.
A student may be required to draw a diagram or map etc. to show an independent command of the skill being shown. A writer may add words or labels only as directed by the student.
For physically disabled students, a writer/typist may write non-English answers in a language assessment, but the student may be required to spell each word and add accents as required.
A writer/typist for Te Reo Rangatira assessments may write in Te Reo Māori as spoken.
A writer is not allowed to encourage or prompt the student to work harder or faster in the assessment. To do so will invalidate their results.
If the writer prefers to type, the following applies:
- Any conditions or exclusions applying to the use of a writer also apply to the use of a typist
- The computer must be set up in the same way as if the student was going to type for themselves. Details can be found at Use of a computer for external assessment (exams)

Working as an Exam Assistant (Reader/Writer/Typist in an external exam)

The same general guidelines for being an assistant apply. Further specific exam information is published each year for Exam Centre Managers.

Computer setup for exams

Details at Use of a computer for external assessment (exams)