The Stages of Second Language Acquisition
We have all seen children move through the stages of acquiring their first language—from babbling to one-word utterances, two-word phrases, full sentences, and eventually, complex grammar. Students learning a second language also move through stages. One of the most important things you should know about each of your English language learners (ELLs) is which stage of acquisition they are in. Knowing and understanding the stage and its characteristics are critical for effectively differentiating instruction for these students.
Stephen Krashen and Tracy Terrell first explored stages of second language acquisition in their 1983 book, The Natural Approach. Figure 2.1 lists the five stages of language acquisition, along with the characteristics, approximate time frames, and appropriate teacher prompts for each stage.