Which concept describes an ELL who avoids using difficult words and structures, opting for simpler ones?

Which concept describes an ELL who avoids using difficult words and structures, opting for simpler ones?

• A. Avoidance
• B. Word Bank
• C. Receptive Skills
• D. Phoneme Substitution

Answer: (A)

Avoidance is a learner’s strategy of steering clear of difficult words and grammatical structures and instead using simpler language to keep communication flowing. This behavior aims to reduce uncertainty and the chance of making errors, helping the learner be understood more easily. It fits the described scenario precisely: the student chooses simpler vocabulary and forms rather than tackling more complex ones. By contrast, a Word Bank is just a reference resource of vocabulary, Receptive Skills refer to understanding language through input, and Phoneme Substitution deals with altering sounds in speech. So the best description of the behavior is avoidance.

Avoidance is a learner’s strategy of steering clear of difficult words and grammatical structures and instead using simpler language to keep communication flowing. This behavior aims to reduce uncertainty and the chance of making errors, helping the learner be understood more easily. It fits the described scenario precisely: the student chooses simpler vocabulary and forms rather than tackling more complex ones. By contrast, a Word Bank is just a reference resource of vocabulary, Receptive Skills refer to understanding language through input, and Phoneme Substitution deals with altering sounds in speech. So the best description of the behavior is avoidance.