Initially, some Kindergarten children who are learning English as a second language may go
through a “silent period”, during which they prefer to observe things around them without
comment.They may choose not to talk until they can make sense of the new language through
careful listening to the teacher and to peers in the classroom and on the playground.Or they
may talk to others in their first language, unaware that the listener does not understand them.
This often occurs during parallel play. During this phase, students may use body language rather
than speech to communicate until they have absorbed enough of the new language to feel
confident in their interpretations of what is said and in their ability to provide appropriate
responses.When they do choose to talk, some may begin by using a single word or phrase
to represent a thought, while others may be surprisingly fluent.