TExES ESL Supplemental 154 Practice Exam

During the Silent/Receptive Stage of language acquisition, learners are not yet comfortable or ready to produce language but can understand and respond to some basic forms of communication. At this stage, their language production is minimal, and they are primarily focused on absorbing what they hear.

Yes/no questions are particularly effective in this context because they require only a simple response, allowing learners to engage without the pressure of formulating complex answers. This form of questioning gives them an opportunity to communicate and participate using non-verbal signals or minimal verbal responses, which aligns well with their limited expressive language skills.

Multiple-choice questions and complex or open-ended questions generally require more advanced language skills and thought processes that these learners may not possess yet, making yes/no questions a more suitable choice during the Silent/Receptive Stage.