Preproduction Stage
(Silent Period)
What is it?
This is a time when students affective filters are high; they are trying to learn about the new environment, and their brains are busy sorting out the sounds of a language that they are receiving. They are typically not ready to produce (speak or write) without feeling they are in a safe enviroment, recieiving solid comprehenible input, and well supported output.
How Long Does it Last?
0-6 months, depending on the student and the level of support for both academics and SEL they are receiving.
Supporting Students in the Pre-production Stage
Do
Speak at a slower rate and enunciate
Be demonstrative with your body
Talk to them kindly and privately with the aim of demonstrating what they should do next (watch, get out a pencil, walk with you to a part of the room they need to be in).
Create lessons that visually demonstrate the task required and ask students to watch
Rephrase key words or phrases needed when errors are made (ie. You want to go to the bathroom?)
Put them in close proximity to where you mainly teach
Give them a buddy that is either a native speaker or a naturally demonstrative leader
Create opportunities that allow students to participate without demands on speaking
When asking them to speak, make sure comprehensible input is strong. For example, provide visuals and simple sentence frames used to have them echo privately to you in small chunks.
Don't
Cold call or ask them individual questions in front of the whole class
Insist on answers when they are not linguistically ready and not enough comprehensible in put is present for success
Correct errors in speech
Place them in the back of the room where they can fade away
Expect nothing of them because, well, "They're Newcomers" and we have to wait out the silent period
Expect a child buddy to have the skills to effectively communicate all things a Newcomer needs