Spell checking marks words that are spelt incorrectly while a student types. In an exam where spelling counts, such as a language exam, you usually do not want this, because you are also testing whether the student can spell correctly themselves. In exams where the content is central, or as support for students who need it, allowing spell checking can be helpful.
How spell checking works in Schoolyear depends on where the student types:
| Where does the student type? | Environment | Default | Adjust |
|---|---|---|---|
| Browser | Browser | Blocked | Per exam, in the settings widget |
| Office for the web | Browser | Always on | Not possible |
| Exam application | Browser | Not blocked by Schoolyear | In the exam application's settings |
| Word via Secure Apps | AVD Add-on | Depends on the AVD image | Via the AVD Admin |
Spell checking per environment
Spell checking in the browser
By default, Schoolyear blocks spell checking in the browser. Do you want students to be able to use their computer's built-in spell checker during the exam? Remove the block in the Settings widget.
- Log in to the Schoolyear dashboard.
- Create a new exam or open an existing exam.
- Open the Settings widget.
- Enable Enable spell check in the browser.
- Save the exam.
The setting only applies to this exam. Spell checking remains blocked in other exams.
Please note: students only see a red underline below incorrectly spelt words. Schoolyear blocks the suggestions, so students must work out the correct spelling themselves.
Which language does spell checking use?
The language used for spell checking depends on the student's operating system. The language of the exam application or the language in which Schoolyear is displayed does not matter.
- Windows: spell checking uses the language that is active in Windows at that moment.
- macOS: spell checking tries to recognise the language of the text and adapts accordingly.
A student using Windows in English will therefore get English spell checking, even for an exam in Dutch. Does the language need to be the same for everyone? Then use Word via Secure Apps.
The exam application's own spell checker
Some exam applications have their own spell checker in addition to the browser's spell checker. Schoolyear does not block this. You can turn it off in the exam application's settings.
Office for the web: spell checking is always on
In Office for the web, spell checking is always on and cannot be turned off. Are you testing spelling? Then use Secure Apps.
Spell checking in AVD
Secure Apps: you decide per exam whether spell checking is on
You need a Secure Apps licence for Secure Apps, and the AVD add-on must be configured.
With Secure Apps, students work in Microsoft Word on a virtual computer. Whether spell checking is enabled and which language Office runs in are determined by the image that your administrator publishes in Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD). This makes Secure Apps suitable for examination of writing exams.
Do you want different settings per exam, for example one exam with spell checking and one without? Your administrator can publish separate images for this. If you need an image with different settings, contact your administrator.