Dyspraxia (DCD): revising and sitting A-level exams
Motor coordination challenges need environmental fixes — recent HE research highlights barriers
Developmental coordination disorder (DCD), often called dyspraxia, affects fine and gross motor coordination. In school it can mean slower handwriting, fatigue when writing long answers, organisation difficulties, and stress around timed practical or written papers — even when conceptual understanding is strong.
Research on student experience
Qualitative research with university students with DCD (2024) documents barriers including organisation, writing fluency, concentration, and exam timing — and the value of clear materials in advance. Evidence: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11675472/ — institutional guidance often mirrors these themes: https://www.tcd.ie/disability/information-for-teaching-and-professional-staff/disability-awareness-information/developmental-co-ordination-disorder-dcddyspraxia/
Practical strategies
- Request skeleton notes or partially completed diagrams so lesson time focuses on understanding
- Practise answers as typed plans + short handwritten timed paragraphs if a scribe/laptop isn’t available
- Use ergonomic grips, angled boards, or typing where permitted
- Visit the exam room early; rehearse where extra time changes your pacing