McREL - The Five Stages of Second Language Acquisition

Summary

The script emphasizes the importance of understanding the stages of second language acquisition to effectively support English language learners. It introduces five stages parallel to first language acquisition: Preproduction, Early Production, Speech Emergence, Intermediate, and Advanced Fluency. Teachers are encouraged to connect new concepts to familiar experiences, such as a child's first language development, to facilitate comprehension and progression through these stages without stagnation.

Takeaways

• 📚 Teaching academic language alongside content is crucial for English language learners.
• 🌐 Understanding the stages of second language acquisition helps educators address the zone of proximal development effectively.
• 🔍 Educators must identify the current stage of English language learners to facilitate their progression to the next level.
• 🔑 There are five distinct stages of second language acquisition, and it's important to avoid stagnation at any stage.
• 👶 The 'Preproduction' stage is akin to a child's first language acquisition, where learners understand but do not verbally respond.
• 🚀 'Early Production' is when English language learners begin to speak using single words, similar to a child's first words.
• 💬 'Speech Emergence' is characterized by learners combining words into sentences, with grammatical errors being common and acceptable.
• 📈 In the 'Intermediate' stage, learners start to construct more complex sentences, showing progress in language use.
• 🎓 'Advanced Fluency' is the final stage where English language learners speak fluently, almost indistinguishable from native speakers.
• 🔄 Good teachers introduce new concepts to English language learners by relating them to familiar experiences.
• 📝 Reflecting on the stages of first language acquisition can provide insights into the second language acquisition process.

Q & A

Why is it beneficial for educators to teach both content and the academic language of the content to English language learners?

Teaching both content and the academic language helps English language learners to understand and engage with the material more effectively, enhancing their overall language acquisition process.

What is the significance of understanding the stages of second language acquisition for educators?

Understanding these stages allows educators to recognize where their students are in the language learning process and how they can support their students to progress to the next stage.

What is the 'zone of proximal development' and how does it relate to teaching English language learners?

The 'zone of proximal development' is a concept that describes the difference between what students can do independently and what they can do with guidance. It's important for educators to identify this zone to provide appropriate support and challenges for English language learners.

How many stages of second language acquisition are there, according to the script?

There are five stages of second language acquisition mentioned in the script.

What is the first stage of second language acquisition called, and what does it involve?

The first stage is called 'Preproduction,' where learners can understand language but have not yet developed the ability to produce verbal output.

What is the second stage of second language acquisition known as, and what characterizes it?

The second stage is known as 'Early Production,' characterized by learners beginning to speak and produce verbal output in the form of single words.

Describe the 'Speech Emergence' stage of second language acquisition.

In the 'Speech Emergence' stage, learners start to put words together into sentences, which may contain grammatical errors, but this is a natural part of the language learning process.

What is the stage following 'Speech Emergence' in the script, and what happens during this stage?

The stage following 'Speech Emergence' is called 'Intermediate.' During this stage, learners start to put many sentences together, showing increased language complexity.

What is the final stage of second language acquisition, and what does it signify for the learner?

The final stage is 'Advanced Fluency,' signifying that the learner has reached a high level of language proficiency, sounding as if they were born and raised in an English-speaking environment.

How can educators tie new concepts to familiar experiences for English language learners?

Educators can relate new concepts, such as the stages of second language acquisition, to familiar experiences like the stages of first language acquisition that the learners or their family members have gone through.

Why is it important for educators to know the current stage of English language acquisition of their learners?

Knowing the current stage helps educators tailor their teaching methods and materials to meet the learners' needs, ensuring they are not stuck at any stage and can progress effectively.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Teaching Academic Language and Understanding SLA Stages

The script emphasizes the importance of teaching both content and the academic language associated with it to English language learners. It introduces the concept of the 'zone of proximal development' and its relevance to understanding where students are in their language learning journey. The speaker encourages educators to be aware of the five stages of second language acquisition to effectively assist learners in progressing to the next level. The paragraph sets the stage for a detailed exploration of these stages by drawing an analogy to first language acquisition, asking the audience to reflect on the stages their own children went through when learning English as their first language.

Keywords

💡English Language Learners

This term refers to individuals who are acquiring English as an additional language. In the context of the video, it is central to the discussion as it focuses on the pedagogical approaches needed to support these learners effectively. The script emphasizes the importance of understanding their stages of language acquisition to facilitate their progress, as seen when the speaker encourages considering the stages of first language acquisition to draw parallels.

💡Academic Language

Academic language pertains to the specialized vocabulary, syntax, and discourse patterns used in educational settings. The video stresses the significance of teaching not only content but also the academic language associated with it to English language learners. This is crucial for their full participation and comprehension in an academic environment, as it equips them with the necessary language skills beyond everyday conversation.

💡Second Language Acquisition

Second language acquisition is the process by which people learn a language other than their native language. The video script delves into the stages of this process, highlighting the importance of understanding where each learner is in their journey. It is a key concept because it frames the discussion on how educators can support English language learners to advance through these stages effectively.

💡Zone of Proximal Development

The zone of proximal development is a concept in educational psychology that describes the difference between what a learner can do independently and what they can do with guidance or support. In the video, it is mentioned to emphasize the importance of understanding a learner's current capabilities and providing the right amount of support to help them progress to the next level of language acquisition.

💡Stages of Language Acquisition

The video outlines five distinct stages that learners go through when acquiring a second language. These stages are crucial for educators to recognize and address in order to scaffold learning effectively. The script uses the analogy of first language acquisition to explain these stages, making the concept more relatable and understandable.

💡Preproduction

Preproduction is the initial stage of second language acquisition where learners can understand language but have not yet begun to produce verbal output. The video uses this term to describe the phase where English language learners are absorbing language but are not speaking, similar to how children first understand language before they start speaking.

💡Early Production

Early Production is the stage following Preproduction, where learners begin to speak using single words. The video script illustrates this stage by drawing a parallel to a child's first words, indicating that English language learners are starting to express themselves verbally, albeit with limited vocabulary.

💡Speech Emergence

Speech Emergence is the stage where learners start to combine words into sentences, albeit with grammatical errors. The video script mentions this stage to highlight that it is a natural part of language development, where learners are experimenting with language structure and making mistakes as part of the learning process.

💡Intermediate

The Intermediate stage of second language acquisition is characterized by learners putting many sentences together, indicating a more advanced level of language use. The video script uses this term to describe the progression from simple sentences to more complex language structures, showing an increase in both vocabulary and grammar.

💡Advanced Fluency

Advanced Fluency is the final stage of second language acquisition described in the video, where learners achieve a high level of language proficiency that is comparable to native speakers. The script uses this term to convey the ultimate goal for English language learners, where they can communicate fluently and naturally in English.

💡Grammatical Errors

Grammatical errors are mistakes in the structure or syntax of language. The video script acknowledges that these errors are a normal part of the Speech Emergence stage, where learners are experimenting with sentence construction. It emphasizes the importance of understanding that making mistakes is a natural and necessary part of language learning.

Highlights

Teaching both content and academic language benefits English language learners.

Understanding the stages of second language acquisition is crucial for effective teaching.

The zone of proximal development requires knowing students' current and potential capabilities with guidance.

Knowing the stage of English language learners is essential for advancing their language acquisition.

There are five stages of second language acquisition that should not be overlooked.

Introducing new concepts to English language learners should relate to familiar experiences.

First language acquisition stages can be compared to those of second language acquisition.

At around nine months, children show understanding in first language acquisition, similar to Preproduction in second language acquisition.

The Early Production stage in second language acquisition is akin to children's first words around 12 to 14 months.

Speech Emergence is the stage where learners start making grammatical errors while forming sentences.

The intermediate stage of second language acquisition involves constructing many sentences, similar to first language learners.

Advanced Fluency is the final stage where English language learners sound native.

Good teachers tie new concepts to familiar experiences for English language learners.

The importance of not allowing English language learners to be stuck in any acquisition stage.

The process of second language acquisition mirrors that of first language acquisition in stages and understanding.

Grammatical errors are a natural part of the Speech Emergence stage in second language acquisition.

The journey from Preproduction to Advanced Fluency is a gradual process in second language acquisition.

Teaching should be tailored to the specific stage of each English language learner for optimal learning.

Transcripts

It will definitely benefit our English language learners if all of us teach not only content

but also the academic language of the content.

Another reason it's important for everybody to

understand the stages of second language acquisition is because of the zone of proximal development.

We know with the zone of proximal development,

we must know where students are and where they're capable of working to with the help of a knowledgeable other.

So, think about that with stages of second language acquisition.

It's important for us to know the stage of our English language learner and their stage of English language acquisition

so we can help lift them up to the next stage of English language acquisition—because there's five of those stages and

we do not want our English language learners stuck at any of those stages of second language acquisition.

Let's investigate the five stages of second language acquisition.

To do so, I'm going to do something

I see good teachers do all the time in their classrooms with their English language learners.

When good teachers are ready to introduce a new concept

with their English language learners, they tie it to something that's familiar to those English language learners.

So, with you, because I'm introducing a new concept of the stages of second language acquisition,

I'm going to tie it to something familiar to you—the stages of first language acquisition.

So I want you to think about your own kids.

Think about the stages that they went through when they were learning English as their first language. For example,

think about what happened around nine months of age. Do you remember?

That's when you realized, oh my gosh, they understand me.

I said, "Point to your nose," and they were able to point to their nose.

I said, "Where's your bottle?" and they reached out for their bottle.

Well, our English language learners are going to go through a similar stage—not exact,

but it is similar in that they too are hearing just fine,

they're taking in the world just fine—they just don't yet have the verbal output.

And we're going to refer to that stage today as

Preproduction.

OK, now think about your own kids again in their first language acquisition.

What happened next? It was around 12 to 14 months of age and that's when your kids said their very first words.

Well, our English language learners are going to go through a similar stage—not exact,

but it is similar to first language acquisition—and that our English

language learners will start to speak also and their verbal output will be in the form of single words. And

we're going to refer to that stage as

Early Production.

Now, go back to your own kids again. Think about the stages of first language acquisition.

What happened next?

They started to put lots of words together into a sentence, and I bet there were grammatical errors in those sentences, weren't there? In

fact, did any of you write down in your

child's baby book any of the things your children said? I know my mom wrote down the time

I said, "I'll do it to morning time."

Well, our English language learners are going to pass through a similar stage in second language acquisition in

that they too will start putting words together into a sentence and there will be grammatical errors. And that's OK. And

we're going to refer to that stage as Speech Emergence.

Now, go back to the familiar. Go back to your own kids.

What happened next? Well, they started to put a lot of sentences together. Our

English language learners in their stage of second language acquisition, called intermediate,

will also start putting many sentences together. And, finally, the last stage our English language learners will be in

will be called Advanced Fluency. And they'll sound like they were born and raised right here.