During which language acquisition stage does listening and absorbing take precedence over speaking?

In the Pre-Production stage of language acquisition, individuals primarily focus on listening and absorbing the language rather than actively speaking it. During this initial phase, learners are often silent, demonstrating their understanding through nonverbal means, such as gestures or facial expressions. They are engaged in a crucial phase of comprehension, where they are internalizing vocabulary and the structure of the new language.

This absorption process is essential as it lays the groundwork for subsequent language use. While they may not be verbalizing their thoughts, learners at this stage are actively processing sounds, rhythm, and the mechanics of the language, which will enable them to produce language effectively later on. This contrasts with other stages where speech production becomes more active and prominent.