Stages of Learning a New Language (Stage II)

Stages of Learning a New Language

Stage II: Early Production

In the early production stage the student has learned about 1000 words and will begin to develop a receptive and active vocabulary. This stage can last up to 6 months. The students can use short language chunks or speak in one or two word phrases. They have memorized words and may not always use them correctly.

Some of the ways to work with students in this phase is to ask simple yes/no and either/or questions. It is also important to accept a students one or two word answer so as to encourage the use of the language. Participating and usage of the words known is an important part of this stage of learning a new language. The usage of pictures and focusing on using visuals are still very helpful to continue building vocabulary. Encouraging the usage of the vocabulary (even if used wrong) is very important during this stage.