English Language Accommodations
Accommodations are available to support English language proficiency development. All residential undergraduate non-native English speakers are normally eligible and accommodations will be allowed for undergraduate students taking residential or CGCS classes. Eligibility will customarily expire at the end of the first semester of accommodation but may be continued on a semester-to-semester basis. Eligibility, accommodations, and English placement for residential undergraduate students are overseen by both the Coordinator for Multilingual Student Resources at the Center for Academic Success and Achievement (CASA) and the International and Multilingual Curriculum Coordinator for the Department of English and Communications.
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 CASA.
Reduction of credit penalty for written errors consistent with developing language proficiency including misspellings, word usage, sentence structure, and punctuation, except in coursework where those skills are being assessed directly.
Alternative assignments to support spoken language and class participation except where those skills are being assessed directly.
Use of a recording device for course lectures and/or discussions to enhance listening comprehension.
Student Responsibilities
To apply for accommodations, residential undergraduate students must contact the Coordinator for Multilingual Student Resources at the Center for Academic Success and Achievement. Each semester, residential undergraduate students must process an accommodations request form and a release form to authorize the CASA to send the eligibility letter to all necessary course faculty.
Placement of Multilingual Students into Academic English Elective Courses
The Department of English and Communications offers elective classes to support academic English proficiency. Interested residential undergraduate students may register for them in consultation with their advisers. Some incoming residential undergraduate students are preregistered for an elective Academic English language course. Preregistered residential undergraduate students may drop or withdraw from the Academic English language course.
Incoming residential undergraduate multilingual students are preregistered based on the section scores of academic English proficiency tests. Because participation in university courses requires advanced-level proficiency in a variety of language skills, residential undergraduate students will be preregistered if their TOEFL (or equivalent) section scores fall in the “low,” “intermediate,” or “fair” ranges. If a student has no English proficiency test scores, placement is based on other records accepted by the Norwich University Department of Admissions.
The levels of the TOEFL section scores can be viewed here: https://www.ets.org/toefl/ibt/scores/understand/
Exceptions
Exceptions may occur in special circumstances involving international inter-institutional agreements with partner universities, new pathway programs and/or other international agreements that would warrant exceptions. All such exceptions must be codified in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among participating parties and have appropriate approvals in accordance with the agreement. Any MOU must be executed through the International Center, after consultation with the International and Multilingual Curriculum Coordinator and the Coordinator of Multilingual Student Resources regarding exceptions set forth in any MOU.