Stages of

Language
Development

Stages
Continued
Speech Production: Students
can speak in multiple sentences.
They can understand a lot of
what is said. They may make
grammatical errors in speaking
and writing. They may pronounce
words incorrectly. Teachers can
involve students in short
conversations in small groups
with other students, provide
short or modified texts, and use
graphic organizers and word
blanks. This stage lasts
approximately from one to three
years.

Pre-Production(Silent
Period): This is the silent period.
English language learners may
have up to 500 words in their
receptive vocabulary but they
are not yet speaking. Some
students will, however, repeat
every thing you say. They are not
really producing language but
are parroting. Students in this
stage benefit from repetition of
English and a buddy who speaks
the same language. The
Statistics
approximate time frame for this
Intermediate
Fluency:
In 2013, the percentage of ELL students in American
Public
High Schools
was an estimated 4.5
million students.
period
of acquisition
varies
Students
can
comprehend
basic
There are ELL students in all fifty states.
between speaker to speaker
More than 70% of ELLs speak Spanish, though asbased
a group
speak
nearly 150 languages. communication well, but may not
on they
varying
conditions
understand academic and
Nearly 60% of ELL students live in poverty.
Early Production: Students can
content lessons. They may make
The amount of ELL students increases each year.
speak in one or two-word chunks
few grammatical errors while
and phrases. They may use
speaking but still may make
errors whilst writing. They are
memorized phrases that may not
able to express their own
always be correct. They may
opinions and thoughts. This stage
produce short sentences in the
lasts approximately from three to
past tense. The emphasis is still
five years
on listening and absorbing the
Advanced Fluency: Though
new language. Teachers can ask
they do need continued support
yes or no, either/or, and what
with academic language to
questions, provide
continue acquiring language and
comprehensible listening
conventions in academic
activities. Teachers can build
domains. The teacher should

ELL SURVIVAL
GUIDE

Helpful Strategies
Nervous?
Thats
The
Sheltered
Pair an ELL student
with
a buddyInstruction
who speaks their native language but avoid using this all of the time.
okay!
Dont worry!
You do not Create opportunities
Observation
Protocol
for ELL students
to :interact meaningfully with new vocabulary words.
need to be bilingual or
trilingual to teach your
ELL students. This
brochure will highlight
practices and
techniques that can be
implemented into your
classroom to help both
you as the teacher and
your ELL students.

consists
of eight
Incorporate visuals
whenever
youinterrelated
can.
lesson
planning,
Modify tests and components:
homework for
ELL students.
Link background building
knowledge
and culture to learning
background,
Deliver the lesson
in chunks
comprehensible
input,
Incorporate technology
strategies, interaction,
Provide multiple learning
opportunities
to reinforce key concepts and vocabulary.
practice/application,
lesson
delivery, review and
assessment. When using
these instructional strategies
that connect to these
components they are able to
deliver and design lessons that
Lets start with
address the academic and
planning. Research has
linguistic needs of English
shown that ELL students
language learners.
benefit from the usage
Have a cognizant awareness of
of the SIOP model.
what level of second language
SIOP stands for:
acquisition your students are
Sheltered Instruction
at so you can provide
meaningful instruction and
reasonable expectations.

Create a classroom that is

welcoming to your ELL
students.

Learn how to correctly

pronounce your students
names

Labels, labels, labels

Incorporate your students

cultural and attempt to use