English as a Second Language Accommodations

This is an archived copy of the 2016-17 Catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.norwich.edu/.

Purpose

This policy establishes the eligibility requirements and the allowable academic accommodations for students who have functional difficulty with the English language.

Responsibility

The Department of English & Communications, in coordination with the Academic Achievement Center (AAC) and the International Center, is responsible for ensuring compliance with this policy.

Eligibility Requirements

Students must place into EN 005, EN 105 or EN 106* AND

  • Be an international student OR
  • Be a US citizen for whom English is not the primary language spoken in the home OR
  • US lawful permanent resident for whom English is not the primary language spoken in the home

*Students who are not placed into EN 005, EN 105, or EN 106 may still be eligible for academic accommodations as determined on a case-by-case basis by the Chair of the Department of English & Communications, in consultation with the AAC.

Eligibility will expire at the end of the first semester of accommodation, but may be continued on a semester-to-semester basis as determined by the Chair of the Department of English & Communications, in consultation with the AAC.

Allowable Academic Accommodations
  • Reasonable extensions of time on assignments if appropriate tutorial assistance is in process.
  • Reasonable extensions of time for examinations, with or without a reader, that is administered by the AAC.
  • Reduction of credit penalty for misspellings; errors in word usage, sentence structure, and punctuation; errors characteristic of EFL/ESL students, except in coursework where those skills are being assessed directly.
  • Althernative assignments to gain credit for credit for class participation when spoken language productivity is a problem, except where those skills are being assessed directly.
  • Use of a recording device for course lectures and/or discussions, if a student is deficit in receptive language.


Professors and instructors are encouraged to customize any approved academic accommodations to align with class requirements and expectations, with the goal to maximize student learning.

Student Responsibilities
  • Eligible students must process an accommodations letter at the AAC to gain final approval.
  • Eligible students must complete a release form each semester to authorize the AAC to send the eligibility letter to all course professors to notify them of the approved academic accommodations.