Child language theories

Question 1

Chomsky- Language acquisition device

Answer 1

innate ability to learn language, as we are born with the basics of universal grammar

Question 2

What are Halliday’s language functions?

Answer 2

instrumental- fulfil a need
regulatory- influence others
interactional- social interactions
personal- express feelings/opinions
representational- exchange info/facts
heuristic- learn/discover
imaginative- explore imagination

Question 3

Skinner- Behaviourism

Answer 3

language is acquired through reinforcement (positive and negative)

Question 4

Wugg test

Answer 4

shows that every mistake has underlying logic

Question 5

Bruner- Social interaction theory

Answer 5

interaction with caregivers helps child’s language, often referred to as scaffolding (LASS)
Gaining attention, query, label, feedback

Question 6

Brown- inflections

Answer 6

1) -ing
2) -s (plural)
3) -‘s
4) -ed
5) -s (3rd person singular)
6) ‘be’

Question 7

Aitchinson- theory building meanings

Answer 7

labelling- linking words to object

packaging- exploring labels and boundaries

network building- making connections between words

Question 8

Berko & Brown- Fis phenomena

Answer 8

children cannot distinguish that what they are saying is wrong. Understand/hear better than they can produce.

Question 9

Nelson- first words

Answer 9

18 months = 50 words
2 years = 200 words
5 years = 2,000 words
7 years = 4,000 words

Question 10

Piaget- cognitive theory

Answer 10

children move through 4 different stages of mental development. understand more abstract ideas, such as size, colour etc.

Question 11

Grammatical stages of development

Answer 11

12-18 months = holophrastic stage
18 months - 2 years = two-word stage
2-3 year = telegraphic stage
3 years + = post-telegraphic