SiMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

MEMORANDUM

S.

So.....

.SEN ATE ............................................

Subject.

ESL REMEDIAL PROGRAM- PROPOSED

REGULATION

BO

A

SENATE UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS BOARD.

From

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3

OCTOBER

O

21

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198.

Date

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Action undertaken by SUAB at its meeting of 17 October 1983

gives rise to the following motion:

MOTION:

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"That Senate approve the following regulations

for students who have been required by the

-

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-

University

Douglas College-as

to take remedial

a- condition

English

ofadmission:courses

at

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-

1)

Normally, students will be expected to have

achieved mastery in prescribed ESL courses

by the end of their second semester (this

includes any semester in which a full remedial

program is undertaken).

2)

Students who do not achieve mastery in prescribed

courses by the end of their second semester will

normally not be permitted to re-register at SFU

until the deficiency has been cleared. If they

have already registered in courses, their

registration will be subject to cancellation.

3)

Exceptional cases should be subject to the

decision of the Director of Admissions in

consultation with the appropriate Faculty and

staff at the University and at Douglas College."

0

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MEMORANDUM

S

0......

SENATE

..................................................

UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS BOARD.

ESL REMEDIAL PROGRAM.

S

ubject

....................................

N. HEATH, SECRETARY,

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IiATE

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AItWrE XDMTSIONS 0ARD.

Date......

Following action by Senate and SUAB (.see S.83-26) a testing and

remedial program in English as a Second Language was implemented in Fall 1983

for all new non-Canadian students whose primary language was other than English.

These applicants must first obtain a TOEFL score of at least 570. They are

then required to take a Special English Language proficiency test. Depending

upon the results obtained in the test, students will be required, as a condition

-- - -of admission, to undertake and successfullycomplete,up to four courses in

remedial English during their first semester. At the end of the semester,

students will be examined to determine whether they have achieved mastery in the

course (ie; passed)., or not. The testing program and teaching of the remedial

courses are the responsibility of Douglas College.

No specific provision has yet been made to deal with those students who

do not achieve mastery in one or more prescribed courses. Their reasons for

not achieving mastery, could be anticipated to be:

.

?

- withdrew from course

- completed course, but did not sit exam

- completed course, sat exam, but did not achieve mastery

standard

It is clear that students in the remedial program should achieve mastery

in the prescribed courses within a short time of entering the University. There

is little purpose to postponing the remedial English work until the mid-point

or later of the student's university studies. However, there is a need for some

flexibility, to permit a student to repeat one or more remedial English courses.

It will be recalled that the ESL program provides for a combined maximum

semester load of 15 semester hours, counting each Douglas College course as 3

semester hours, together with any SFU courses taken in the same semester. Those

students required to take the full remedial program (12 semester hours or four

courses) would not be permitted to simultaneously register in SFU courses.

The following measures are proposed to ensure that students successfully

complete prescribed courses in a timely fashion:

• ?

1) Normally, students will be expected to have achieved mastery in

prescribed ESL courses by the end of their second semester (this

includes any semester in which a full remedial program is undertaken).

2)

Students who do not achieve mastery in prescribed courses by the end

•

?

of their second semester will normally not be permitted to re-register

at SFU until the deficiency has been cleared. If they have already

registered in courses, their registration will be subject to cancellation.

3)

Exceptional cases should be subject to the decision of the Director

of Admissions in consultation with the appropriate Faculty and staff

at the University and at Douglas College.