Reasonable Accommodations for Students Who Stammer in Oral Exams

The Irish Stammering Association is pleased to share an update regarding the accommodations available to students who stammer in Junior Cert and Leaving Cert oral exams in Ireland.  This advocacy project, led by ISA team members Penny Farrell and Dr. Jonathon Linklater, with support from SLTs and the wider stammering community, has resulted in the State Examinations Commission (SEC) providing clearer guidance on accommodations under the Reasonable Accommodations at the 2025 Certificate Examinations.

The SEC’s revised guidance addresses previous misunderstandings in the RACE scheme that suggested accommodations for oral exams might only apply to candidates with both speech and hearing impairments. The recent update clarifies that students who stammer are able to access accommodations for the oral exams. The ISA welcomes this clarification as an essential step in ensuring fair exam conditions for all students. We remain committed to advocating for young people who stammer, ensuring they have every opportunity for success. 

Please note the key dates shown in the table at the bottom of this article, as some application dates have a short timeframe.

Key Documents:

• 'Easy Read' Version for Students: Reasonable Accommodations Student Guide (2025)
• Detailed Document for Schools: Reasonable Accommodations School Guidelines (2025)

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FAQs about the updated 2025 RACE Guidelines:

1. What accommodations are available in oral exams for a student who stammers?

‍Accommodations are available for students who stammer in the oral exams for both the Junior Cert and Leaving Cert. These accommodations may include:

• Additional time to answer questions: The examiner can be informed of your speech impediment, and you can be allocated extra time to respond.
• Taking the exam at a specific time: You may request to do your oral exam at the start or end of the exam day to reduce waiting time.

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"Oral for candidates who have a severe speech impediment including stammering. For the oral component of the examination, the examiner is told of your speech impediment and can arrange for you to be taken first or last in order to give you more time to answer.”

(p35, RACE 2025 Guide for Students)

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Exemption from Oral Exam:

In cases where a severe speech impediment (including stammering) significantly impacts the ability to complete the oral component of the exam, students may be

eligible for an exemption. The student will be assessed based on other components of the exam, such as listening and written exams, with the final marks adjusted

accordingly.

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“Exemption from oral component for a candidate with a severe speech impediment including stammering*. If you have a severe speech impediment, including a stammer, and there are genuine reasons why an oral test cannot be carried out, you may be granted an exemption from the oral component. The marks for the remaining parts of the examination will be scaled up."

(p35, RACE 2025 Guide for Schools)

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Section 9.2.7 of the Schools Guidance document provides more information about the exemption process. It is only granted when it is demonstrated that the student’s speech severely impairs their ability to engage in the oral examination. This means that some students who have a ‘severe stammer’ may be able to apply for an exemption i.e. the student does not do the oral exam. The grade for your subject will be used from the other parts of the language exams such as listening and written exams. Your school needs to give a reason and share information from school observations about why you are applying for an exemption.

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“This exemption is only approved where it can be demonstrated that the candidate’s disabilities preclude engagement with an oral examination (such as a disability that significantly impairs the candidate’s ability to speak). The results in these subjects will be calculated on the components taken regarding them as 100% for assessment purposes. 

Accordingly, the grades obtained by the candidate in the relevant subjects will be accompanied by an explanatory note, which will read as follows:       

“All parts of the examination in this subject were assessed except the oral element”

(p.57, section 9.2.7 of the Schools Guidance document)

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2. Is a report from a speech and language therapist or psychologist required to apply for accommodations?

For students who stammer, a report from a speech and language therapist (SLT) is not required, though it may be helpful in some cases. Schools are responsible for gathering the necessary information to support the application. If you have an SLT report or letter, you can share this with your school to include in the application. Some students may no longer attend SLT or may not have a report. This will not prevent the school from making an application, as the school must show the student’s need for accommodations based on current observations and evidence gathered within the school setting. Schools can use classroom performance, class test results, teacher observations, and any other relevant information to support the application.

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3. Can the ISA help with the application process or briefing the examiner?

The Irish Stammering Association (ISA) is here to support you with the application process for reasonable accommodations as well as becoming an advocate for you with education providers. We understand that navigating the application process can be challenging, so we are available to provide advocacy, guidance and assistance.

In the coming weeks, we will be publishing a template letter that can be used to inform and brief the examiner about the student's stammering. This letter will help ensure that examiners are aware of any specific information the student would like them to know along with the accommodations they have been given.

If you need further assistance or have any questions about the application process, please don’t hesitate to contact us info@stammeringireland.ie.  We are committed to supporting students who stammer and helping to ensure that they have the necessary accommodations to succeed.

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4. Can the ISA provide information and education opportunities for Examiners?

Yes, the Irish Stammering Association can support examiners by providing information and educational resources about stammering. We understand that informed examiners play a key role in creating a fair and supportive exam environment for all students. ISA aims to help examiners better understand stammering and the accommodations available, so they feel prepared to support students during exams. In addition, the ISA will soon release a template letter that schools can use to brief examiners about individual students’ needs, ensuring they have clear guidance on how they can respond to moments of stammering and facilitate a supportive exam environment. 

For more information on upcoming resources or training opportunities, please feel free to contact us info@stammeringireland.ie.  

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5. What are the key dates to apply for accommodations?

Key dates for applying for accommodations are outlined in the School Guidelines Document (Page 3). Schools should begin the application process well in advance of the exam dates. Please ensure that your school is aware of these deadlines to avoid delays in securing accommodations.