In which stage of learning does the student develop fluency with a skill?

In the practice stage of learning, students focus on refining their skills and developing fluency. This stage is characterized by repeated application and practice of newly acquired skills, allowing for increased automaticity and confidence in their usage. During this phase, learners build upon their initial knowledge, overcome errors, and enhance their speed and efficiency, leading to a more robust understanding and execution of the skill.

The contextual background for the other options helps clarify why the practice stage is distinct. The normalization stage generally pertains to the idea of skills becoming routine or accepted as part of the student’s repertoire but does not specifically address fluency. The acquisition stage focuses on the initial understanding and learning of a skill, where the emphasis is on grasping concepts rather than fluency. The evaluation stage is concerned with assessing and measuring skills rather than the development of fluency itself. Therefore, the practice stage is the most accurate descriptor of the time when a student develops fluency with a skill.