3.1. Stage II language learning activities

You have now learned to recognize many hundreds of common words together with a variety of sentence patterns. You can use a steadily increasing number of these words to construct sentences of your own. But you still don't feel that you can say very much. We'll approach the language learning activities in terms of the three basic principles:

1. Some activities will be aimed at providing comprehensible input at an appropriate level of difficulty.
2. Some activities will be aimed at providing the opportunity for extemporaneous speaking, and
3. Some of the activities will be aimed at helping you to get to know the people in the ways that are necessary for you to speak and comprehend the language easily.

Often, two or three of the principles are combined in a single activity.

In terms of comprehensible input, some of your activities in Stage II will be aimed at exposing you to long sequences of connected sentences in which the overall content of what is being said is fairly predictable. In the process, your vocabulary will continue to grow, and your ability to comprehend speech will continue to improve. In terms of extemporaneous speaking, the main concern in Stage II is to loosen up your tongue, and get you into the habit of managing to get your point across, often by means of achievement strategies. In terms of getting to know the people, among other things, you will be learning about many simple daily activities--how they are conducted and how they are described.

Recall that your language learning activities are carried on in three settings: some activities you conduct on your own, some you conduct in structured sessions with your LRP, and some you conduct as a part of social visiting or other outside social participation. Sometimes all three settings are used for closely interrelated activities. For example, during your private time you go over earlier language sessions and plan the next one; during your social visiting, you often tell your friends all about what you have been learning to talk about in your formal sessions; during your sessions, you specifically prepare for outside social participation; etc.

Subsections

3.1.1 Getting lots of comprehensible input in stage II

3.1.2 Getting your tongue loose in stage II

3.1.3 Keeping organized during stage II

3.1.4 Principle III during stage II: getting to know the people who speak the language you are learning

3.1.5 Focusing on special aspects of the language