Modern Language oral exams in schools

I'm glad you wrote to the school and gave your input. 

Those with ASD already have a tough time in social situations using their every day language, and that's already stressful enough, but your daughter had so many things compounded on top of that (it was an exam, it was in another language, it's all spoken, she was rushed, put down, and threatened) and at that point it's just all traumatic for her. 

When she was panicking, that teacher's first piece of advice should have been to tell her to breathe and calm down and offer reassurance that she'll do fine, not put more pressure onto her.

Whenever anyone is in a panicked state, they will blank out. This is because they enter fight-or-flight mode, and access to the frontal lobes of the brain shut off to react to the dangerous situation in front of them (there's no time to think, only react!), and to come out of that state, the solution is to breathe and calm down, so that their bodies return back to normal, and then they can have access to all that important information again.

I hope after the school receives feedback, they will make changes that will help your daughter out. 

Yes, absolutely. The school should have prepared for this! I have some experience in education.

Your daughter has a diagnosis, I gather. Does she also have an EHC plan?

Ask to speak to your SENCO (the school's special needs co-ordinator)

Was the examiner her normal class teacher or an external examiner from the exam board? I would expect her teacher to know that a 'shut down' like this could happen, an external examiner would not of course know she is autistic.

However, the school should have submitted a request for the necessary special considerations for extra time etc to the examination boards when she was entered for the exams.

Check with the SENCO that this was done and what can be done now for her Spanish oral? Can she take it again in a better environment and more time to answer.

This teacher/ examiner attitude is not acceptable. I am so sorry for your daughter, she must be so upset.

Thank you - it is reassuring to hear this. I have already emailed the school using similar language that you wrote. I was pretty shocked by what she said to my daughter - she has been recently diagoned and all her teachers were supposed to have been briefed...

It's such a shame because it's the first exam that she's had to do and her confidance has been shattered. A little compassion could have gone a long way.

Wow the teacher accused her of being difficult and threatened her with zero marks? That's not professional, not only for someone with ASD, but towards any student this teacher teaches to. No wonder your daughter froze and was unable to speak, that's an overwhelming amount of pressure to be putting on her. If someone is struggling already, putting them down and threatening them is not the way to go. That teacher was rushing your daughter, so they could get to the next person in line. This type of treatment is never appreciated by anybody.

I'd say to give to the school feedback and tell them what happened to your daughter and what the teacher said, that this treatment is unethical, and what you'd like to happen next (give your daughter a second chance while being less rushed, give that teacher a lesson on ethical conduct, etc). 

That's really helpful advice, thank you

I hope she is allowed a second attempt, I'm sorry she had a horrible time.

I used to get so anxious about oral exams I wanted to throw up. I did my all of my french orals on about one hour's sleep because I would be dreading it and obsessively rehearsing it the night before. We had to go to a weird little room at the top of an outside staircase covered with pigeon poo, which made it seem like a bigger deal because it was all unfamiliar.

idk if it's similar at her school but next time you could ask if she could look around the room before the exam so it seems like a less alien environment. Doesn't make it easy but it's one less thing to worry about. You could also ask if she could do it first thing in the morning, then there's less time to get worked up about it.

Thanks - this is all very new for us all, so I'm learning! I will ask

i am not sure either ---- but ask     orals are a nightmare i always failed them  ----

Please can you explain what that would mean? 

In my daughter's ASD assesment it was written that she should get extra time in exams and have a separate room. I'm not sure what considerations are made for oral exams...

"special consideration" ----- ask for special consideration