Child Language Acquisition

Question 1

Jean Aitchison

Answer 1

Labelling- a child understands concepts of labels and associate sounds with objects; link words to things
Packaging- a child will start to explore the extents of labels over- and under-extensions will occur a lot
Network building- a child makes connections between labels; understands similarities, differences and relationships
(Consolidation occurs when a child understand what makes a thing a thing)

Question 2

Skinner

Answer 2

Behaviourist Theory
Children imitate adults. They receive negative or positive reinforcement depending on whether they made a correct utterance

Question 3

Chomsky

Answer 3

Nativist Theory
Children have innate ability to learn speech
A child’s brain contains special language-learning mechanisms at birth
Language Acquisition Device (LAD)

Question 4

Piaget

Answer 4

Cognitive Theory
Language development is linked to cognitive development.
Children only use language they understand
Will not use language to describe an object that is not in front of them until they’ve gained object permanence

Question 5

Bruner

Answer 5

Interaction
Language is developed through interaction between child and care-givers
Language Acquisition Support System (LASS)

Question 6

Tomasello

Answer 6

Usage Theory
Children learn language by practicing it and applying patterns to it as they practise

Question 7

Halliday’s Heuristic Function

Answer 7

Explores the environment
E.g. what you doing mummy

Question 8

Halliday’s Instrumental Function

Answer 8

Fulfils wants and needs
Eg. Asking for food + drink

Question 9

Halliday’s Regulatory Function

Answer 9

Controls behaviour of those around them
Eg. Telling caregiver where to sit

Question 10

Halliday’s Interactional Function

Answer 10

Used to develop social relationships
Eg. Saying love you

Question 11

Halliday’s Personal Function

Answer 11

Used to express opinions and preferences
Eg. I don’t like that

Question 12

Halliday’s Imaginative Function

Answer 12

Used to explore creatively during play

Question 13

Halliday’s Representational Function

Answer 13

To exchange information

Question 14

Katherine Nelson (1973)

Answer 14

Analysed first 50 words of 18 children and identified four categories
- Naming (things/people)
- Actions/ events
- Describing/ modifying
- Personal/ social words
Children are likely to be
- referential: using lots of naming words
- expressive: using more action and social words

Question 15

Leslie Resclora

Answer 15

Categorical overextension-

Question 16

What 3 things did vygotsky look at?

Answer 16

Scaffolding: where an adult continually adjusts the level of their help in response to the child’s level of performance
MKO (More knowledgeable other): where a child is supported by a more knowledgeable adult or child to direct the child
ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development): area beyond what a child can already do so a caregiver might provide the necessary support or scaffolding to enable the child to venture beyond their current level if ability whether in language or academically

Question 17

Jean Berko

Answer 17

Study on 4-5 year olds
Created an imaginary animal called a wug
Detected 76% used the plural morpheme -s.
Shows children imitate patterns

Question 18

Eve Clarke

Answer 18

Identified 3 stages of question formation
1. Rising intonation but no grammar
2. Grasps wh words such as ‘why’ ‘when’ ‘what’ ‘where’
3. Child learns to turn round the auxiliary verb and subject.