The Stages of Language Development

We have studied the process of second language acquisition.  Now we will consider the stages that a child or student goes through in acquiring a new language.  The four stages listed below describe the initial stages of language development that reflect the process of language acquisition.

The Four Initial Stages of Language Development are:

Pre Production

Early Production

Speech Emergence

Intermediate Fluency

Read the explanation of the stages of language development in your Study Guide on p. 31 of your study guide. Return to the online module to complete the assignment.

It is crucial for teachers to understand these stages and the current stage of their ESOL students in order to plan appropriate activities, lessons, and tests for them. Students should not be held accountable for tasks which are so far beyond their current level of language development that they are frustrated at attempting the task at hand.

Now, complete the following assignment.

Step One:

Study the page titled, Language Development Stages: Sample Behaviors in the Classroom in your study guide on page 32.  Then review "Amphibian Life Cycle" found on page 33 in your study guide.  Write an appropriate question or command that a teacher might ask an ESOL student about the amphibian life cycle for each stage of language development. An example is given below.

Pre Production:	Draw the life cycle of a frog.
Early Production:	What do tadpoles eat?
Speech Emergence:	When do tadpoles leave the water?
Intermediate Fluency:	Write a short paragraph describing the life cycle of a frog. Include the words: first, then, last.

Step Two:

Describe an activity that you do in your classroom and attach a copy of  any reading material that is used in the assignment. Then describe how you would modify the assignment for a student at each of the four stages of language development. Submit your responses to step one and step two to the facilitator.
 
 
 

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