NYSTCE English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Practice Test

What developmental stage follows the Early Production Stage?

1. Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills Stage

2. Speech Emergence Stage

3. Advanced Academic Language Stage

4. Pre-Production Stage

The correct answer is: Speech Emergence Stage

The Speech Emergence Stage follows the Early Production Stage in language acquisition. During the Speech Emergence Stage, learners begin to produce simple sentences and demonstrate improved vocabulary and grammatical structures. They are more comfortable with the language and can form basic conversations. This stage is characterized by a noticeable increase in fluency, allowing students to engage in more complex discussions about familiar topics. In contrast, the other stages mentioned either precede this one or do not align with the typical progression observed in language development. For example, the Pre-Production Stage is focused on comprehension rather than production, while Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills emphasizes social and conversational language, which may not yet be developed fully in learners transitioning from Early Production. The Advanced Academic Language Stage occurs later, when learners have developed a higher level of proficiency suited for academic contexts. This context enhances understanding of the speech emergence transition as a crucial phase in developing language skills more broadly.