How do beginning ELL students primarily communicate in a learning environment?

Beginning English Language Learner (ELL) students primarily communicate in a learning environment through memorized high-frequency words. At this stage of language acquisition, these students have not yet developed a strong grasp of complex grammatical structures or the ability to create original sentences. Instead, they rely on a limited vocabulary of common phrases and words they have memorized, which enables them to express basic needs and ideas.

These high-frequency words are often the building blocks for communication, allowing ELL students to engage in basic interactions and gain some understanding of the language context. As they progress in their language development, they will begin to construct more complex sentences and use varied vocabulary, but in the beginning stages, memorized phrases serve as their primary means of communication in the classroom.