An accommodation changes how information and concepts are presented or practiced ensuring that each student has the opportunities and support needed to learn. Accommodations do not reduce the learning expectations and should be chosen based on the student’s individual needs and not applied arbitrarily to all MLs. Accommodations are not to be viewed as an advantage to the student; accommodations provide access to the content for the student.

Accommodations:

• Provide access to grade-level curriculum;
• Alter the environment, not the curriculum;
• Do not change the learning outcomes;
• Happen in the content-area classroom; and 
• Should not impact grading, though how learning is assessed may change.

Description

Multilingual leaners benefit from the use of varied print and/or audio texts.  When an alternate text is provided, the ML can access the content by receiving the information in a different format. 

Examples:
A student is provided a different text than other students. This could either be a lower Lexile edit of the same text or an altogether different text on a lower grade level.

It is important to note that this accommodation can also be considered a modification. Temporary modifications can be appropriate for a SLIFE and newcomer MLs: “Districts may use a curriculum that temporarily emphasizes English language acquisition over other subjects, but any interim academic deficits in other subjects must be remedied within a reasonable length of time” (EL Toolkit, Chapter 4). However, long-term modifications are not allowable for students seeking a South Carolina high school diploma.

 

	Teacher	Student
	The teacher uses simplified text to teach and assess grade-level standards.	The student is provided an alternate text.

	Teacher	Student
	"We will use this graphic novel of 'Hamlet' to review."	"Do you have this text available in a different format?"

Recommended Domain(s)	Recommended Level(s)
Reading, Writing	Entering (1) through Developing (3)

Scaffolding

When should the accommodation be removed?

The Use Varied Print and Audio Text accommodation may be removed when the student develops more proficient vocabulary. Most MLs do not require the varied print or audio accommodation for assessments beyond the Developing level (3). If you have questions, or feel your ML requires a change in their ILAP regarding this accommodation, please reach out to the Multilingual Learner Program Specialist (MLPS) in your building to discuss the student's needs.