Stages of Learning a New Language

There are 5 Stages in the learning of a second language. In my next few blogs I will expand on these stages so you can understand each one. Of course there will be slight variations in each students way of learning. These are just some guidelines for you to understand the acquisition of a second language and its stages. Also please note that the length of time each student spends on a particular stage may vary. 

Stage 1: Pre-Production (also known as the Silent Stage)

 During this period the student is mainly silent. This does not mean they do not parrot the words, or have the ability repeat everything you say,  only that they are learning and storing the vocabulary. Students may have up to a 500 word vocabulary during this stage but they are not yet speaking the new language. 

The student listens attentively, responds to visuals and pictures, and can understand and duplicate gestures. During this stage the teacher focuses on building vocabulary. Much repetition is necessary at this stage.  

A great benefit of this stage would be a buddy or friend with whom to practice or to speak with to encourage them to listen to and practice the vocabulary they are storing. 

True Story

A friend of mine spoke two languages to her daughter after her birth, Spanish and English. When her daughter was one and a half years old she was concerned because she didn't seem to be speaking as much as she most babies at this age and just pointed at things instead of asking for them with words. She spoke with her pediatrician about her concerns. The doctor explained to her that  her baby was just listening and learning and as long as there were no physical problems (which there were not) then she should just be patient and her daughter would speak when she was ready. A few months later the little girl started speaking in complete sentences in both languages! It was amazing to her mom who was expecting her to say a word here or there. This is a good example of the way a child learns to speak a language.