Dyslexia and civil service online tests

Bookowl

I have applied for a role with the civil service and it involves online tests as part of its recruitment process. One of the online tests is critical reasoning this involves selecting Two words from a list of six words that may be similar in meaning. The second part of the critical reasoning test is to read a piece of text and then from a list of statements figure out which one would follow on from the statement just read.
I have argued in terms of reasonable adjustments that these tests discriminate against those with dyslexia, as in the workplace I would have assistive technology that would help with these aspects of the job.These tests are testing the difficulties I have with dyslexia.

I am enquiring whether or not it is a reasonable adjustment that they do not take part in the critical reasoning part of the assessment?
Has anyone applied to the civil service with dyslexia?

[Deleted User]

 Nope but currently going through grievance with them, got a solicitor on board. 

 Doing their so called personality test skyrise city caused a seizure. I have epilepsy, no warnings were given. 

Ive requested reasonable adjustments and been ignored, my MP even contacted them. 

 No longer want to work for them if they treat disabled applicants this way but intend to take my complaint forward. 

Bookowl

I am sorry that happened to you, That sounds awful.
Yeah, I don’t really know what they’re trying to test with these online assessments. I also think with the online tests anybody could practice them well enough so that they could pass them. However , this doesn’t mean that they will have the required skills or experience just because they can pass an online test.
I know of a case in my area where someone took BT to tribunal for an online assessment issue regarding a learning disability. That person won The tribunal and was sent on to interview.

[Deleted User]

 Thank you, i hate the whole recruitment process. Work trials would be a much better way of assessing if someone can do the job. 

 Many people can talk the talk for england but have no clue when actually in the job. 

Bookowl

I don’t know what they’re trying to test when they do these online recruitment exercises.

The competition that I am going for welcomes applications from disabled applicants yet it makes the recruitment process difficult and deters people from applying.

Thrugelmir

Bookowl said:

I don’t know what they’re trying to test when they do these online recruitment exercises.

In these Covid times staff still need to be recruited. Work and life carries on. 

Bookowl

Thrugelmir said:

Bookowl said:

I don’t know what they’re trying to test when they do these online recruitment exercises.

In these Covid times staff still need to be recruited. Work and life carries on. 

My post was in relation to online tests and those with disabilities. So, I don’t think your post adds anything to my original query. 

unforeseen

This may be a daft question but what assistive technology is there to help with critical reasoning which is a mental process, especially "read a piece of text and then from a list of statements figure out which one would follow on from the statement just read."
"selecting Two words from a list of six words that may be similar in meaning" possibly a thesaurus (online?)

Manxman_in_exile

TBF, I could easily see how someone with dyslexia might have difficulty reading and identifying words with similar meanings, but I agree that I don't see how dyslexia could affect critical reasoning, unless the person reading the test passage could not understand it to begin with.  And I can't imagine what assistive technology would improve resoning skills - otherwise everybody would use it.

Bookowl

Dyslexia affects people in different ways. For me it’s short term memory processing, understanding what I’ve just read and decoding words. In the context of long, dense texts and academic texts. A reasonable adjustment would be assistive technology which would read out to me the passages of text reducing my resources of short term memory etc and more time to complete this exercise. 
for words that are similar in meaning. In the work place I would have technology that would dictionaries and thesaurus etc that would assist in me identifying words that are similar. In an online test situation I wouldn’t have this and it would put me at a disadvantage to non dyslexic peers. As it’s testing my issues with dyslexia.

General_Grant

Bookowl said:

Dyslexia affects people in different ways. For me it’s short term memory processing, understanding what I’ve just read and decoding words. In the context of long, dense texts and academic texts. A reasonable adjustment would be assistive technology which would read out to me the passages of text reducing my resources of short term memory etc and more time to complete this exercise. 
for words that are similar in meaning. In the work place I would have technology that would dictionaries and thesaurus etc that would assist in me identifying words that are similar. In an online test situation I wouldn’t have this and it would put me at a disadvantage to non dyslexic peers. As it’s testing my issues with dyslexia.

To further my own learning -
Do you wear headphones for this?
Is there such technology to cope with printed or handwritten hard copy (as opposed to on-screen)?