In the third stage of second language acquisition, a young learner is able to communicate in short phrases and memorize new vocabulary. During this stage, the immersion part of learning is critical as it is a key social factor of second language acquisition.

In Spanish class, we continually focus on practicing vocabulary to immerse our students as much as possible. An example of this can be represented in our current study of parts of the house. Students practiced locating all parts of the house using the verb “estar” when indicating location. First, we target focused vocabulary and have daily conversations to enhance pronunciation. Next, students continue to use the new vocabulary in a group setting during class. In addition, students independently created a house project, wrote an explanation in Spanish indicating all the intricacies of a house, and orally presented their individual project in Spanish to the class.

Incorporating different learning practices are important in second language acquisition because it all comes together to improve the level of mastery. Varying activities help develop students’ understanding of vocabulary as it becomes more natural and is evident especially when the student is able to connect new vocabulary to his or her personal environment.