The Silent Period of Learning a New Language

Most new learners of language will go through a "silent period," where they are unwilling or unable to communicate orally. They may understand much of what is going on around them except they are not yet comfortable speaking in the new language, because it is difficult for them to express their thoughts orally. Children, going through this silent period, should not be forced to speak before they are ready. They need time to listen to others talk, digest what they hear, and observe their fellow classmates' interactions with each other. Just because they are silent, doesn't mean they are not learning the language. You will find that children in the "silent period" are learning many words, ideas, and idioms, although they may not yet be comfortable with speaking as part of the group or individually.

Many factors play in to the length of the silent period. It can vary greatly for students in classrooms from a few days to a year. This is simply due to a student's experience with language, their personality, and their emotions around learning a new language. It can vary so greatly. When the child is silent in the dominant classroom language, it can be hard to know where they are in acquiring the language, so we do different things to find out how much they are learning and what they are absorbing.

Having a student feel comfortable around the language and making learning fun is important. We ask the questions that allow the student to respond with nods of "yes" or "no". Having children draw pictures is helpful also. They can then try to describe in one-word answers what they have drawn. Many students will begin using their first words when it is something about what they enjoy or about their family. We accept as response facial expressions like smiles. Nonverbal cues from children in classes can include establishing eye contact, flipping through pages of writing for us, or pointing to an answer. We may share a word or two in the child's language to help in the understanding, or ask a child to share with us what he or she sees in a picture in a book.

The silent period at any age can last many months. Even students who understand a tremendous number of words or phases and concepts can be overwhelmed at the thought of trying to speak in the new language. If we can convey through our verbal and nonverbal cues that we want to communicate and trust that the communication will come, the student will eventually start to speak and begin to feel comfortable with speaking. Classrooms that are engaging and fun, non-threatening, and honor a child's native language and all cultures, can help with a student's motivation.  Each student’s ability to learn to risk speaking and level of comfort speaking the new language will come in its own time. The silent period is just a learning period and part of learning a new language.