Beginning Fluency
Define: Speech is fairly fluent in social situations with minimal errors. New contexts and academic language are challenging and the individual will struggle to express themselves due to gaps in vocabulary and appropriate phrases.
Strategies:
- Have students work in pairs and groups to discuss content.
- During instruction, have students do a "Think, Pair, Share" to gie the student an opportunity to process the new language and concept.
- Ask questions that require a full response with explanation. If you do not understand the student's explanation, ask for clarification by paraphrasing and asking the student if you heard them correctly.
- Ask questions that require inference and justification of the answer.
- Ask students if they agree or disagree with a statement and why.
- Model more advanced academic language structures such as, "I think," "In my opinion," and "When you compare." Have students repeat the phrases in context.
- Re-phrase incorrect statements in correct English, or ask the student if they know another way to say it.
- Introduce nuances of language such as when to use more formal English and how to interact in conversations.
- Have students make short presentations, providing them with the phrases and language used in presentations ("Today I will be talking about") and giving them opportunities to practice the presentation with partners before getting in front of the class.
- Continue to provide visual support and vocabulary development.
- Correct errors that interfere with meaning, and pre-identify errors that will be corrected in student writing, such as verb-tense agreement. Only correct the errors agreed upon.
- You may want to assist in improving pronunciation by asking a student to repeat key vocabulary and discussing how different languages have different sounds.
Information take from: http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/language-acquisition-overview