New Hampshire Foundations of Reading Practice Test

How many stages are there in the first language acquisition process?

1. Two stages

2. Four stages

3. Five stages

4. Three stages

The correct answer is: Five stages

The first language acquisition process is typically described as having five stages. These stages outline the progression that children go through as they develop their language skills from infancy to early childhood. Initially, infants start with cooing and babbling, which represents their exploration of sounds. Next, they enter the holophrastic stage where single words are used to represent complete ideas. As they grow, they move into the two-word stage, where they connect two words to convey more complex meanings. The subsequent stage is characterized by the use of telegraphic speech, where they use short phrases that contain essential content words but omit smaller grammatical elements. Finally, children develop a more complex understanding of grammar and vocabulary skills in the later stages, leading to more complete sentences and refined language use. Each stage reflects an increasing sophistication in language ability, demonstrating how children build on previous learning to acquire a fully functional language system. Understanding these stages is crucial for educators and parents alike, as it helps them support a child's language development appropriately at each phase.