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

Which of the following is not one of Willig and Lee's developmental stages?

1. Early production stage

2. Advanced fluency stage

3. Pre-production stage

4. Speech emergence stage

The correct answer is: Advanced fluency stage

The advanced fluency stage is not one of Willig and Lee's developmental stages. Willig and Lee's framework outlines a series of stages that language learners typically progress through as they acquire a new language. These include the pre-production stage, where learners are mostly silent and may respond non-verbally; the early production stage, where they start to use phrases and short sentences; and the speech emergence stage, where students can form simple sentences and engage in basic conversation. Advanced fluency is a term commonly used in the context of language acquisition, but it is generally associated with a higher level of proficiency beyond the stages outlined by Willig and Lee. This might include mastery of complex language structures and functions, which is not specifically defined in their stages. Thus, while "advanced fluency" is a relevant concept in language learning, it does not correspond to the developmental stages identified by Willig and Lee.