An amanuensis is someone who may either read the questions, write down your answers or both. If you request an amanuensis, you can choose whether you wish to take the exam online or whether you prefer to complete a hard copy exam paper. Please see the requirements for candidates working with hard copy paper exams below.
Anyone can act as an amanuensis as long as they meet these criteria:
- The amanuensis should be musically literate and educated to at least the equivalent level of the exam being taken.
- Ideally, the amanuensis should have worked with you at least once before, either in music lessons or in another exam. If this is not possible, we advise that you and the amanuensis have enough time to practise before the exam.
- We ask that the amanuensis is not your music teacher or a relation, unless absolutely necessary.
Who can use an amanuensis?
If you are unable to access the written paper or write down your answers, you can ask to use an amanuensis.
Examples
- A candidate who is visually impaired and cannot access a large print or braille paper may use an amanuensis to read the questions and write down their answers.
- A candidate with specific learning difficulties may use an amanuensis to either read the questions or write their answers down, or both.
- A candidate who has a physical disability or a long-term or chronic injury may use an amanuensis to write down their answers.
If you would like to use an amanuensis, select this option when you book.
Who will the amanuensis be?
It is your responsibility to provide an amanuensis. If you are unable to find one, please contact the Specific Needs Team no later than three weeks before your exam. We are not able to provide an amanuensis.
Where will the exam take place?
You may take the exam anywhere you wish in line with our published guidelines. You should ensure that the amanuensis can see the screen and that they are in shot of the camera at all times.
Monitoring
The exam will be videoed and recorded using your device’s webcam and microphone. Videos and recordings will be reviewed to ensure that the support offered is in line with these guidelines.
Please ensure you have read and understood these guidelines for working with an amanuensis. It is important that the amanuensis does not read questions in such a way that offers an advantage to candidates.
Will there be extra time?
We provide the following extra time allowance to candidates using an amanuensis, as long as you request this when you book:
- Grades 1–3: 30 minutes
- Grades 4–5: 40 minutes
- Grades 6–8: 60 minutes
If you routinely receive longer than 25% extra time for exams, please let us know when you book your exam so that we can ensure this is available.
Exam papers
You may request a hard copy paper if you have difficulties accessing or reading from a computer screen. Please select the option that most closely describes your requirements, for example ‘candidate with specific learning difficulties requiring a large print paper’.
If you request an additional hard copy exam paper, including a paper in large or modified print or Braille, this should be opened in front of the camera after logging in to the online system.
Applicant’s responsibilities
- Inform us at the time of entry that your candidate requires an amanuensis by selecting the relevant access provision on the entry form
- Provide us with the name and address of your candidate’s amanuensis as soon as possible and no later than three weeks before the exam if you require a hard copy exam paper
- Ensure that information is passed on to the amanuensis, as a signed agreement is required in order that the exam be validated
Candidate’s responsibilities
- Abide by the exam regulations
Our responsibilities
- Provide you with results in a format that you are able to access on request.
Guidance for readers and scribes
Anyone acting as an amanuensis for a Music Theory exam should be musically literate and educated to at least the equivalent level of the exam being taken. The candidate will be aware of this and may be embarrassed about dictating answers to you. It is therefore important that you are calm, quiet, reassuring (if appropriate) and patient. If a candidate needs you to amend answers you have already inputted, you must appear not to mind. Do not feel uneasy if there is a lot of silence during the exam – the candidate needs space to think through questions and to consider their answers.
Preparing for the exam
You should ensure you have read and understood the syllabus for the exam in question.
You should have worked with the candidate as their amanuensis at least once, either in music lessons or in another exam. If this is not possible, the candidate should arrange opportunities to practice with you. Practice questions are available on our Music Theory practice resources page.
Before the exam you should agree the following with the candidate:
- What is required – a reader, a scribe or both?
- Would the candidate like to be reminded of the time at any point? At what interval(s)? Note there is a clock on screen.
You will be required to read and sign the Amanuensis Agreement and hand this to the invigilator before the exam begins.
During the exam the amanuensis will:
- Proceed according to the 'Working with your Amanuensis' material found in these guidelines
- Read or re-read all or any part of the question or given answer as requested by the candidate at any point during the exam
- Answer questions exactly as they are dictated by the candidate
- Make any corrections as directed by the candidate
- Give the spelling of any word which occurs in the question paper if requested, but ask the candidate for spellings of any technical terms used in the candidate’s answers
- Give the candidate a choice at the beginning of the exam as to whether they would like to be reminded of the time and at what intervals, and advise accordingly
The amanuensis will not:
- Lead the conversation or speak unless directed by the candidate
- Give any undue assistance in answering any of the questions
- Give any indication of whether the candidate’s answers are right or wrong
- Read or re-read any questions or answers unless directed by the candidate
- Give the spelling of any word which does not appear in the Theory paper
- Advise the candidate regarding which questions to do, when to move on to the next question or the order in which the questions should be done unless prior permission for this type of assistance has been given by the Specific Needs team.
After the exam you should hand in the exam paper to the invigilator and ensure that the signed Amanuensis Agreement has been submitted.
Tips to help you
Remember to add bar lines where necessary in your answers. The amanuensis will always make it clear that there is a bar line when reading out musical examples but, when dictating your answers, you must remember to do this. The amanuensis will not automatically add them in on your behalf.
Remember to observe any sharp or flat signs that are read out, and don’t forget to apply them wherever the relevant notes occur later. The amanuensis will read notes according to their position on the stave and will not remind you of any earlier key signature or accidentals.
You may wish to have an extract read out several times, either in part or as a whole.
You should be aware that at the higher grades, musical examples can be quite long. Where amanuenses are required to read out an example, you may need to work on your memorisation skills in order to remember what is being read to you and to make sense of the extract as a whole.
You will need to return a signed copy of the Amanuensis Agreement.