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Stages of Second

Language Acquisition

Descriptions, Instructional Adaptations, & Strategies

(adapted from DCIU)

Dr. Laura Taddei

Neumann University

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Activity: Contextual Factors Affecting Second Language

Acquisition• Divide the class into groups

• Each group reads a section from the article titled “Contextual Factors in Second Language Acquisition”

• Record on chart paper the main idea of each section

• Brainstorm implications for this information as it pertains to the ELL in the school setting

• Be prepared to share out

• Discuss the meaning of: “The classroom should be both a mirror and a window in regards to culture.”

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STAGES of Second Language Acquisition

• Stage 1: Pre-Production – Students do not verbalize; may use gestures (nod, point); minimal comprehension

• Stage 2: Early Production – Students produce one- or two- word responses, use key words; limited comprehension

• Stage 3: Speech Emergence – Students produce simple sentences; good comprehension

• Stage 4: Intermediate Fluency – Students may appear to be English proficient, yet development is incomplete

• Stage 5: Advanced Fluency – Students can converse fluently with native speakers

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Pre-Production/Beginning Stage(Stage 1)

• Student may experience a silent period

• Speak in one- or two-word utterances

• May respond non-verbally to simple commands, statements, & questions

• May have up to 500 words in their receptive vocabulary

• May repeat every thing you say (parroting)

• Cannot carry on a conversation

• May speak spontaneously using native language

• Student will observe others (take it in)

• Student will understand more than he/she can communicate

• Time Frame: 0 – 6 months

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Instructional Adaptations for Stage 1

• Emphasize hands-on activities, manipulatives, props, drama, ample use of visuals

• Provide texts with illustrations

• Focus on teaching language & phrases they can use immediately

• Construct oral questions so that students can choose from a variety of answers, including yes/no

• Integrate TPR (Total Physical Response) & constantly model

• Benefit from a “buddy” who speaks their language

• Teacher Prompts: Show me…, Circle the…, Point to the…, Where is …?, Who has…, Listen, Point, Move, Mime, Match, Draw, Select, Choose, Act/Act out

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Early Production (Stage 2)

• Uses single words & phrases (one- & two-words)

• Student tends to rehearse before speaking

• Can recite poems, chants, & songs (memorized chunks)

• Use routine expressions independently

• Receptive language still surpasses expressive language (limited comprehension)

• Vocabulary of about 1,000 words

• Time Frame: 6 months – 1 year

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Instructional Adaptations for Stage 2

• Break explanations & procedures into smaller chunks

• Provide explicit instruction of comprehension strategies

• Use concrete experiences, realia, & visuals (pictures, graphic organizers, charts, & graphs)

• Use language frames or sentence starters to aid sentence structure

• Model strategies

• Demonstrate activities step by step

• Focus on key vocabulary & concepts; simplify content

• Use think-alouds & simple books with predictable text

• Accept one- or two-word responses

• Teacher Prompts: Yes/No, Either/or, Who…?, What…?, How many…?, Name, Label, Group, List, Categorize, Tell/Say, Answer

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Speech Emergence(Stage 3)

• Produces simple sentences & questions

• Begins to acquire more standard word order

• May mispronounce and/or omit important sentence components

• Grammar & Pronunciation errors

• New errors may reflect overgeneralization of grammar rules

• Vocabulary of about 3,000 words

• Good comprehension

• Shows difficulty adjusting language for different situations & individuals (no situational awareness)

• Misunderstands jokes, idioms, sarcasm

• Native language interference may occur

• Time Frame: 1 – 3 years

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Instructional Adaptations for Stage 3

• Use graphic organizers, visuals, charts, maps, diagrams, etc…

• Allow students to interact with their native speaking peers to clarify new information & explain what they learned

• Allow for many opportunities to read & write

• Use of dialogue journals

• Aim for same content objectives while matching instruction to meet ELL’s needs

• Frontload language & vocabulary related to content lesson

• Teacher Prompts: Why…?, How…?, Explain… (Questions requiring phrase or short-sentence answers), Recall, Retell, Define, Explain, Compare/Contrast, Summarize, Describe, Restate, Role-play

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Intermediate Fluency(Stage 4)

• Student may appear to be proficient in English, but development is incomplete

• English is fluent, but not perfect

• Able to sustain a conversation with details

• Production increases in complexity, but errors still may appear

• Vocabulary of approximately 6,000 active words

• Excellent comprehension; will ask for clarification

• Will use strategies from their native language to learn content in English

• Continues to need assistance in organizing thoughts & monitoring own communication, especially in writing

• Time Frame: 3 – 5 years

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Instructional Adaptations for Stage 4

• Provide frequent opportunities to use English with native speakers on a variety of topics

• Scaffold instruction to help students access meaning

• Include explicit vocabulary instruction in every lesson

• Aim for the same challenging content objectives as native speakers while matching instruction to your ELL’s needs

• Accommodations to writing assignments may be necessary

• Teacher Prompts: What would happen if…?, Why do you think…? (Questions that require more than a sentence response), Analyze, Create, Defend, Debate, Complete, Evaluate, Justify, Support, Describe…

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Advanced Fluency(Stage 5)

• Can converse fluently with native speakers

• Produce few grammatical errors

• Although may appear fluent, may continue to struggle with more abstract academic language of school

• Excellent Comprehension: Understands general, specific, & implied language

• Use a variety of sentence structures & verb tenses

• Time Frame: 5 – 7 years (up to 10 years to achieve cognitive academic language)

• May be exited from ESL & other support programs

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Instructional Adaptations for Level 5

• Aim for same content objectives as native speakers, but continue to modify instruction as needed

• Continue to use a variety of teaching strategies to reach all learners

• Continue to monitor student’s progress in both language & academic development

• Teacher Prompts: Decide if…, Retell…

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LEVELS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY:

Oral & Written Includes Speaking, Listening, Reading, & Writing skills

• Level 1: Entering

• Level 2: Beginning

• Level 3: Developing

• Level 4: Expanding

• Level 5: Bridging

• Level 6: Reaching

*All ELLs are assessed & given a level when they enter school; you should be told what level your ELL is at

*ACCESS test is given each year to determine level

*See WIDA documents, including CAN DO descriptors, for descriptions of levels & expectations for each

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Info. to Remember about Speaking Proficiency

• 75:25 – Can understand 75%, but only express 25%

• BICS (social language) vs. CALP (academic language)

• Silent Period

• BICS: 1 – 3 years

• CALP: 5 – 9 years

• Language differences

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Strategies for Building Speaking Proficiency

• Think, Pair, Share

• Pre-teach vocabulary

• Sentences frames (cloze procedure), Word banks

• Reduce anxiety

• Process partner

• Extra wait time

• Choral fluency

• Authentic situations

• Readers’ Theatre

• Audiotapes

• Repeated readings

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Info. to Remember about Listening Proficiency

• Students’ receptive language will most likely be more proficient than their expressive language

• Remember the “blah, blah, blah” activity

• Create conversation settings that will reduce anxiety

• Consider cultural differences

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Strategies for Building Listening Proficiency

• Use visuals & realia to support lessons

• Avoid idioms & expressions when possible

• Write objectives on board

• Speak clearly & slowly

• Don’t speak louder & no baby talk

• Avoid caveman speech

• REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT!

• Provide copies of notes & outlines (before lectures)

• Allow audio books to reinforce text

• Pair with fellow native speakers for directions & clarifications

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Info. to Remember about Reading Proficiency

• Speaking proficiency does not determine reading proficiency

• Consider cultural differences in reading; try to provide books about a variety of cultures

• Reading proficiency in their first language affects reading proficiency in their second language

--Remember, not all students know how to read/write in their first language

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Strategies for Building Reading Proficiency

• Think about the text – adapt/scaffold the activity (amount, assignment)

• Pre-teach vocabulary

• Build background knowledge

• Assess & Teach Phonological Awareness skills

• Label objects

• BDA – Before, During, After reading

• Chunking

• Summarizing

• Songs & Chants

• Use of visuals & realia

• Reading in first language (if available/able)

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Info. to Remember about Writing Proficiency

• Students will write at all levels of proficiency

• Vary supports according to proficiency level/need

• Writing proficiency is usually the last to develop

• Advanced students may still need accommodations in writing

• Be aware of Cultural Differences in writing styles

• Be aware of Language Differences

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Strategies for Building Writing Proficiency

• Sentence starters

• Journals

• Drawing pictures

• Word banks

• Cloze activities (frames)

• Typing activities

• Choice of paper size & writing utensil

• Sentence strips

• Word walls & dictionaries

• TPTs (Total Participation Techniques)

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When Scoring Writing…• Allow errors (see language differences)

• Model differences

• Use graphic organizers

• Provide word banks for accountability

• Provide Rubrics &/or Models (completed product)

• First show examples….MODEL OFTEN!

--- Use of teacher think-alouds

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WIDA’S CAN-DO DESCRIPTORS

• www.wida.us

• Use with classroom teachers & administrators to describe the second language acquisition process

• Use to plan with tutors & mentors who work with ELLs

• Use to set language goals with their ELLs

• Use to develop lessons & units of study with differentiated language objectives

• Use to explain to parents their students’ progress in speaking, listening, reading, & writing

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ACTIVITY: Using the Can-Do Descriptors

• Pick a grade level

• Think of a topic

• What activity would you have native-English speakers complete?

• How would you adapt this activity for the various proficiency levels?

• Complete: Differentiating Instruction for ELLs sheet