Foreign Language Acquisition in Schools: Factors and Stages

Posted on Feb 2, 2025 in Primary Education

When teaching and learning a foreign language, several factors within the school context must be considered:

1. The Language

Language Distance: Interference or language transference.
Native Language Proficiency: The learner’s skill in their first language.
Knowledge of the Second Language: Existing understanding of the target language.
Dialect and Register: Variations in language use.
Language Status: Relative prestige or cultural significance.
Language Attitudes: Positive and negative perceptions from the learner, peer group, school, and society.

2. The Learner

Diverse Needs: Recognizing that all students are different.
Diverse Goals: Understanding individual learning objectives.
Success: Defining and achieving learning milestones.
Attitude and Aptitude: The learner’s mindset and natural ability.
Age: Considering developmental stages.
Motivation: Intrinsic (internal drive) or extrinsic (external rewards).
Personality: Individual traits that influence learning.
Peer Group: The impact of peers during infancy, childhood, adolescence, and maturity.
Role Models: Influence of significant individuals.
Home Support: Encouragement and resources from the family.

3. The Teacher

Acquisition vs. Learning: Natural absorption versus formal study.
Learning Styles: Different approaches to learning (e.g., visual, auditory).
Multiple Intelligences: Recognizing various types of intelligence (e.g., linguistic, logical-mathematical).
Motivation: Maintaining student engagement.
Classroom Interaction: Frequency and quality of communication.
Intercultural Language Learning: Active construction, making connections, interaction, reflection, and responsibility.

There are five stages of language acquisition:

Preproduction: Students primarily listen and may not speak. This stage can last from 10 hours to several months. Students may have up to 500 words of receptive language and often respond to prompts by pointing. Teachers should avoid forcing students to speak during this phase.
Early Production: This stage can last an additional six months after preproduction. Students have around 1,000 words that they can understand and use. They may speak in one or two-word sentences. Yes/no and either/or questions are most effective.
Speech Emergence: Lasting about a year, students develop around 3,000 words. They can use short phrases or longer sentences, often with grammatical errors, to communicate.
Intermediate Speech: This stage can take another year. Students have about 6,000 words and can ask questions and express their thoughts more clearly.
Advanced Language: This stage can take 5-7 years. Students develop specialized vocabulary and can fully participate in class.

Students will identify the names of objects, pictures, things, or animals shown on flashcards.

The teacher will distribute a worksheet where students will read, paint, write, or match sentences, objects, animals, or words.

The teacher and students will correct the activity together. Students will read their answers, and the teacher will provide feedback.