Stages of Second Language Acquisition

STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3 STAGE 4

SILENT OR RECEPTIVE PHASE EARLY PRODUCTION SPEECH EMERGENCE INTERMEDIATE FLUENCY

Lasts 2 weeks - 6 months + Lasts 2 months - 1 year Lasts 1 - 3 years Lasts 3 - 5 years
Approx. time frame

(depending on the age of the child)

Preschoolers may stay in this stage

for several months or an entire
school year.

Older students may remain in this

stage for several weeks or months.

• A.k.a. the silent period • Expand their receptive • Continue to expand their • Begin to use complex sentences
vocabulary receptive vocabulary, good
Student behaviors / characteristics

• Focus mainly on comprehension • May make grammatical / syntax

in this stage (vs. production)
• May respond non-verbally, use
gestures/movements to show
comprehension, respond to
pictures/other visuals
• May understand about 500 words
• Display some “parroting” speech
repetition practice
• Begin to use 1-2 word comprehension with familiar errors that rarely interfere with
phrases (some non-verbal topic content meaning
responses as well) • Expressive language may include • No longer need slowed conversation
• May produce longer practiced/ phrases and attempts to use to understand / participate; good
routine expressions simple grammar comprehension
• Will have limited • Respond to basic questions and • Share thoughts / ideas, not
comprehension of fast-paced/ most directions from the teacher just needs / wants; participate
(2-step)
social conversation in conversations
• May misunderstand figurative • Comprehend grade-level math
language such as jokes, idioms, etc. and science with some teacher
support
Note: many grammar and
pronunciation errors are normal • Understand some subtle
in this stage. elements of speech

Collier, V. P. (1995) Promoting academic success for ER students. Understanding second language acquisition for School. Elizabeth, NJ: New Jersey Teachers of English to Speakers of Other
Languages-Bilingual Educators. Information based on material retrieved from www.everythingesl.net

Robertson, K. and Ford, K. (2007). Language Acquisition: An Overview. Retrieved from Colorín Colorado on (04/15/2015): http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/26751

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 Stages of Second Language Acquisition
STAGE 1
SILENT OR RECEPTIVE PHASE
• Focus on receptive language
using pictures (show me the
___, point to the ___, etc.)
• Practice following directions &
Learning Strategies
some yes/no questions (expect
head nods/shakes for yes/no)
• Use modeling. Some students
benefit from being paired up
with a partner that speaks
their language
• Repetition, Repetition, Repetition
At this stage, they are able to perform with near-native speaker abilities for receptive and expressive language even in content area learning.
STAGE 2 STAGE 3 STAGE 4
EARLY PRODUCTION SPEECH EMERGENCE INTERMEDIATE FLUENCY
• Practice yes/no questions & either/or • Ask how / why questions that • Present activities that
questions (i.e. Did you eat pizza or elicit responses consisting of develop more complex oral
cereal for lunch?) phrases / simple sentences and written language
• Ask who, what, where questions • Continue vocabulary • Work on higher-level
(using phrases) expansion with labeling/ language skills such as
• Continue working on following directions listing; add describing, problem-solving, evaluating
predicting and analyzing
• Introduce sentence completion tasks
• Use paired or choral reading • Practice pre-writing
• Present labeling activities activities activities through essay
(pictures/objects) writing (as developmentally
• Work on composing simple
• Use graphic organizers to promote literacy stories based on personal appropriate)
• Work on reading short books with events • Support figurative language
predictable text development
• Simplify class content to focus on key
vocabulary
STAGE 5, ADVANCED / ACADEMIC FLUENCY
It may take students 4 – 10 years to achieve academic language fluency.
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