Week 5- Page 4

Module 3: Understanding Stages of Language Development

ELLs will fluctuate back and forth among their language levels depending on their need, motivation, attitude, and how much they are speaking, reading, listening, and writing in English. It is imperative for teachers to know their students' stages of language development and how to increase their learning.

The following charts help explain some linguistic and cultural considerations and suggestions for questioning techniques and activities that are appropriate for each level of language development.

Stages of Language Development and Cultural Adaptation

Stage I – Preproduction (A1 –A2)

Linguistic Considerations	Cultural Considerations	Suggestions for Teachers	Questioning Techniques	Effective Activities
Student… Communicates with gestures, actions, and verbal formulas Is building receptive vocabulary Is recycling learned language practice Benefits from listening comprehension activities	Silent period	Create a stress-free environment. Provide support and encouragement. Avoid asking direct questions.	Appropriate questions include… Find the… Point to… Put the ___ next to the ____. Do you have the ____? Who did ____? What is his/her name? What is this (concrete object)? Who is he/she? Who has the ___?	Create a stress-free environment. Provide support and encouragement. Avoid asking direct questions.

Linguistic Considerations

Cultural Considerations

Suggestions for Teachers

Questioning Techniques

Effective Activities

Student…

Communicates with gestures, actions, and verbal formulas
Is building receptive vocabulary
Is recycling learned language practice
Benefits from listening comprehension activities

Silent period

Create a stress-free environment.
Provide support and encouragement.
Avoid asking direct questions.

Appropriate questions include…

Find the…
Point to…
Put the ___ next to the ____.
Do you have the ____?
Who did ____?
What is his/her name?
What is this (concrete object)?
Who is he/she?
Who has the ___?

Create a stress-free environment.
Provide support and encouragement.
Avoid asking direct questions.

Applicable Classroom Performance Indicators	point, draw, choose, listen, act, move, mime, tap, circle, select, match, imitate

Stage II – Early Production (A2 –B1)

Linguistic Considerations	Cultural Considerations	Suggestions for Teachers	Questioning Techniques	Effective Activities
Student… Intuitively understanding that English is a system Labels and categorizes Encounters L1 interference Uses one-and two-word responses and chunks of language Can say “I don’t understand.”	Adaptation Fatigue	Monitor error correction (i.e., use modeling). Use anticipation guides. Use list of key terms for previewing. Use audiotapes of readings and lectures. Use graphic organizers.	Appropriate questions include… Questions that require a yes/no answer Questions that ask either/or	Low-level questions Retelling a story Picture books with simple texts Simple written responses Copying words and sentences Recipes Oral reading Written practice