child lang theories Flashcards
1
Q
what is the name of Noam Chomsky’s theory
A
the Nativist Theory
2
Q
what did Noam Chomsky believe
A
- C have an innate ability to understand grammar
- this is because everyone is born with a LAD which is a part of our brain specifically deigned to extract grammar from over heard speech
- the LAD contains the knowledge on Universal grammar as all languages have the same deep structure
- virtuous errors support chomsky’s theory as they are mistakes a C makes as they have learnt the rules of grammar and are trying to apply them, but don’t yet understand the exceptions to rules
3
Q
points to support Noam Chomsky’s Nativist theory
A
- Issac Slobin = the human anatomy is designed specifically for language production as we have an advanced vocal tract, which allows for a variety of sounds to be used, and the language centers are in the brain (Broca and Wernickes)
- C cannot learn anything else at the rate they learn lang
- all C acquire lang in the same ages and stages so there’s no cultural difference
- some grammatical features are common of all langs
- C can use and understand lang they have never heard before
- escapes slaves in Suriname managed to create a working creole within one generation
4
Q
points against Noam Chomsky’s Nativist theory
A
- Chomsky himself said that lang is more than just grammar, a sentence can be grammatically correct but semantically meaningless e.g. ‘colourless green dreams sleep furiously’
- Jean Butlers study of Genie = overheard and directly taught speech but was never able to speak beyond a very basic level - Eric Lenneberg suggested a critical period of 5 years old, where you must be exposed to lang/social interaction or you won’t be able to learn lang (new research says its 8 years old)
- Bruner says that lang has to be acquired socially/interactionally and not just through the extraction of grammar
5
Q
what is the name of B.F Skinner’s theory
A
the behaviourist theory
6
Q
what did B.F Skinner believe
A
- “behaviour is shaped and maintained by its consequences”
- claimed that acquire lang through imitating the speech of others and being directly rewarded for it
- operant conditioning = “behaviour that is spontaneous but the consequences of which will affect the future”
- +ve reinforcement = feedback given to encourage a similar behaviour” - a reward a C wants, so they are more likely to reproduce something
- -ve reinforcement = a consequence you dont want OR no consequence at all, feedback given that will prevent a behaviour
7
Q
points to support B.F Skinner’s theory
A
- C are explicitly taught pragmatic features e.g. politeness by direct reward from their parents
- C often have the same accent as their parents
- C will often copy lexis they have heard
8
Q
points to go against B.F Skinner’s theory
A
- McNein “Nobody don’t like me” , Braine’s “Other one spoon” and Berko and Brown’s “The Fis Phenomenon” examples show that C can no be corrected until they are in the right stage
- Berko’s ‘wug’ experiment shows that C learn the rules of language and accurately apply them, not individual examples
- Piaget = most C acquire lang in the same ages and stages regardless of how much treatment a C has had/the society they’ve been brought up in
- virtuous errors cannot be copied as an A doesn’t make them and C make their own, completely original sentences which cannot have been copied
- Brown, Cazen and Bellugi = parents do not usually correct grammar, as they’re most focused on politeness and truthfulness
- Chomsky = said that A’s CDL is ‘impoverished’/’deficient’ so C would never learn how to speak properly if lang acquisition was only learnt through copying
9
Q
what was the name of Jean Piaget’s theory
A
the Cognitivist theory
10
Q
what was the name of Jerome Bruner’s theory
A
Input theory
11
Q
what did Jerome Bruner believe
A
- claimed that the lang used by A towards C (CDL) is specifically designed to help them learn, A’s provide ‘quality input’
- claimed that C learn lang in a social context and interactionally - “C learn to use lang initially… to get what they want, to play games, to stay connected to those on whom they’re dependent”
- claimed that CDL acts as a Lang Acquisition Support System (LASS), which supports the LAD in extracting the rules
- CDL used by parents act as a support system by:
1. speaking slower and simpler when talking to C so it is easier to understand and imitate
2. A introduce new words by using repeated sentence frames
3. A use more pauses when speaking to C to give them time to absorb the speech
4. A use increased pitch, exaggeration and intonation to keep a C’s attention
4. A use more interrogatives and imperatives to encourage the C to engage in the convo - observed that C use books as a way to develop C’s vocabularies and help them to learn naming abilities. he noticed that parents follow a 4-stage structure
1. gaining attention e.g. pointing at an image
2. query = asking a C to identify the picture
3. label = telling the C what the object is
4. feedback = responding to the babies utterance - also noticed that interactions with C use routines/rituals to teach them about spoken dicourse structures
12
Q
points to go against Jerome Bruner’s theory
A
- not all cultures use CDL, and their C still learn how to speak e.g. the Tsiname
- CDL doesn’t explain how C’s speech develops and progresses
13
Q
points for Jerome Bruner’s theory
A
- Clarke-Stewart found that mothers who talk more have C with larger vocabularies
- C who were corrected constantly in their speech tend to develop slower
14
Q
what did Jean Piaget believe
A
- C lang acquisition is part of a wider cognitive development
- the development of mental (cognitive) skills happens in predictable stages and C have to acquire the right cognitive abilities involved in a concept of lang before they can understand it
- C pass through predictable developmental ages and stages when learning lang
- C have to ascertain certain skills to be able to do things linguistically
- classification = C learn to classify objects/actions and they can then divide words into linguistic categories e.g. nouns/verbs
- seriation = C learn that things come in a series/order, which helps them develop comparative/superlative adjs and complements
- object permanence = happens at around 18 months when a C learn that things can continue to exist, even when they are not physically present, which leads to a massive increase in C’s vocab as they learn that things are stable, which means they’re more readily available to learn the names of thing
15
Q
points to go against Jean Piaget’s theory
A
- people can have sound cognitive abilities, but stunted language, and vice versa
- his work doesn’t explain why phatic lang is used
16
Q
points for Jean Piaget’s theory
A
- when fail to understand lang, because they haven’t developed the right cognitive skills to understand it yet
