Published on 12, July, 2020
Is it possible to ask for an alternative assessment? I have ADHD, Asperger's and some dyslexic issues (not yet screened). I have terrible difficulty structuring and organising written work and I have always had to request extensions. It is causing me serious mental and physical distress. On this occasion, I cannot put sentences in an order that makes sense or find the words to articulate my thoughts. (I realise that I am articulate when talking about the difficulties I have, but only about those can I express myself clearly.) It is very unlikely that I will complete the current task. I have been attempting to make progress for the last four days (working solidly) with little success. I am mentally exhausted. My grades are otherwise excellent but essays are the major part of assessment on my course. I do not lack knowledge of how to write an essay. (Ironically, I have a qualification to teach English and my professional background is in Education.
My DSA award has not come through yet so I have been unable to obtain the study help from NAS (if that would help, I do not know. I have tried all other sources.)
I appreciate any feedback.
If you are interested in alternative forms of assessment you will need to talk directly to your university's disability department as they will be the ones who know the criteria for your university.
It may be that with support from a study skills advisor (I assume that's what you're referring to) you do learn the skill of how to do essays, but in the mean time definitely reach out to the disability support and explain the extent of the struggle you are having.
Hi. I am in touch with Student Services and my tutor requested an urgent support session last week, but as my DSA award has not come through the support from NAS is not in place and I have only been given three extra days to complete the current work and I am exhausted.
Support from Student Services should not be dependent on your DSA. The DSA can fund additional resources, e.g. a Mentor, software such as Brain in Hand, etc. Student Support should be able to offer some "in-house" support in the meantime and agree to standard accommodations.
Have you tried mind mapping when preparing your assignments? I find it helps to just brainstorm ideas and put them on the mind map, then take each theme and develop it. You can either do it the old-fashioned way - I use quadrille paper and coloured pens - or one of the many software products. Student support may have recommendations based on what is already in use at your uni (and thus the support available from your IT team.) Highlight links to other themes. Then go through the map in order. Write up your ideas as paragraphs and add references. Finally, pull your ideas together into a conclusion. But it sounds like you know how to structure an essay, it is putting the information in order.
I use old technology - 5" x 3" filing cards. I have one colour for key concepts - e.g. "GRAVITY Isaac Newton. Mutual attraction between masses ... " or whatever. I have another colour for key writers and thinkers, e.g. "NEWTON, Isaac Gravity. Laws of Motion. Mechanics. Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica (English: The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy)(1729) ... " You can add additional cards to suit specific requirements, e.g. as a social work teacher I need to have a quick reference to legislation and statutory guidance. You could use a database if you are happier using IT - I am a bit of a dinosaur I'm afraid!
I tend to write more or less as a "stream of consciousness" and then edit and re-arrange the paragraphs into a more logical order. Thank heavens for word processors. I use Grammarly - there is a free version, or a slightly more powerful paid version which has AI capabilities and a plagiarism checker. Maybe start with the free version, and upgrade to the full version when your DSA comes through.
Sometimes taking a break can help ... even a brief stretch break can help you re-focus. For many years I self-medicated with caffeine - but be aware of long term side effects of any drug. I was prescribed Ritalin for a while, which helped me focus - medication was not a solution in itself, but it did help me to stay on task and develop effective ways of working. Be kind to yourself.
Remember, your work does not have to be perfect. Try to avoid the autistic tendency to overthink. Sometimes "good enough is good enough" - better to submit an 'acceptable' assignment on time and get a reasonable grade than to miss the deadline trying to create a perfectly honed masterpiece!
Those are a few random thoughts based on personal experience which I have passed on as a Mentor for autistic students. Try to develop your own "tool box" of techniques that suit your way of working.
Good luck!