Who this provision is for
This provision is usually for students with a hearing impairment and who need an oral interpreter so they can lipread e.g. to understand the exam supervisor’s instructions.
How it works on the day
The school is responsible for finding a suitable oral interpreter.
Interpreters have to be skilled and a familiar communication partner for the student. For example, they might be the support class teacher or itinerant support teacher. The interpreter can’t supervise the exam in which they are acting as an interpreter.
An interpreter can:
- see the exam paper up to 15 minutes before the start to familiarise themselves with it (under strict supervision, with no communication to anyone allowed)
- read verbatim the directions to the student
- explain words or phrases in the instructions, questions and stimulus material
- explain specific words or phrases in multiple-choice answers, as long as this doesn’t indicate the correct response
- grammatically simplify the structure of a sentence
- paraphrase questions (the student can write the paraphrased question on the exam paper and check their understanding of it with the interpreter).
An interpreter can’t:
- advise the student which questions to choose
- read stimulus material or passages in their entirety
- explain vocabulary specific to the subject (for example, an interpreter should not explain ‘bisect’ in a mathematics exam)
- explain each answer to a multiple-choice question if the student is confused by the choices
- help the student to plan or write a response
- leave the exam room in the first hour
- read or interpret in any language other than English.
We give students extra time to make up for the time they spend engaging with the interpreter. The most time allowed is 5 minutes extra for each half-hour of exam time. The supervisor will record the amount of time that the student engages with the interpreter and add that much extra time, up to the maximum time allowed.
What supporting information is needed
Examples of supporting information for this provision include:
- NESA Hearing form, usually including a diagnosis of a related condition or disability
- An unaided audiogram
- NESA Teacher Comments form
- Student declaration.
Where to find more information
Schools can find forms and templates for most types of supporting information through the Schools Online platform. They will print out the relevant forms and give them to students, parents or caregivers as needed.
If the types of supporting information that we listed above don’t seem relevant, please contact the Student Support team to discuss your circumstances. You can contact us on: