What is a characteristic of the preproduction stage of language acquisition?

In the preproduction stage of language acquisition, learners are typically not yet speaking in full sentences but are beginning to understand the language around them. One key characteristic of this stage is that children often respond to communication attempts using gestures. This can include nodding, pointing, or using other non-verbal cues to convey their thoughts or understanding of what is being communicated to them.

During this stage, which often coincides with the initial exposure to a new language, children may have a limited vocabulary. Their reliance on gestures reflects their developing comprehension skills, which are pivotal in facilitating meaning while they build their language abilities. The focus at this stage is more on understanding rather than producing complex or grammatically correct speech, which is why responses tend to come in the form of gestures rather than full sentences or expressions of complex ideas.