Child language theorists Flashcards
What does Skinner say?
He viewed babies as ‘empty vessels’ which language had to be ‘put in to’.
Skinner would say that a child learns language through positive reinforcement.
Another important feature of Skinner’s theory is the idea that children imitate speech sounds
and words spoken by caregivers and, provided this imitation is rewarded, learning will take
place. This is how children learn new words.
What was Skinner’s observations?
+ Cooing and babbling noises met with warm attention the baby appears to be encouraged to use sounds for interaction.
-Conversely, a child who is told to ‘Shut it!’ or is constantly ignored will not see language as an effective for of communication
What did Chomsky say?
The brain is hard-wired to learn language through the ‘Language Acquisition Device (LAD)’
The human brain is a blank slate on which experiences can be imprinted.
What does Chomsky say about virtuous errors
A ‘mistake’ in language where a child uses non-standard forms. They have their own internal logic- a greater intelligence is shown than the mere ability to parrot words and phrases (opposing Behaviourism).
What did Bruner say?
The environment on which a child lives/
engages with plays a crucial role in language learning.
Like other theorists he believed there was an innate
ability to learn language BUT with the addition of the
important point that this natural talent is assisted by
carefully structured input from significant people in
the child’s environment.
What did Halliday find?
Halliday claims that children acquire language because it serves certain purposes or functions for them.
Halliday viewed language as a cultural code that teaches us how to be part of society, rather than simply a method of communication.
What are Halliday’s 7 functions?
Instrumental function - language that is used to fulfil a need, such as to obtain food, drink or
comfort. This typically includes common nouns (e.g. “Want milk”)
Regulatory function - language that is used to influence the behaviour of others including persuading,
commanding or requesting (e.g. “Come here)
Interactional function - language that is used to develop relationships and ease interaction (e.g. “I
love you mummy”)
Personal function - language that expresses personal opinions, attitudes and feelings including a
speaker’s identity (e.g. “I is brave girl”)
Representational function- language that is used to relay or request information (e.g. “that car red”)
Heuristic function - language that is used to explore, learn and discover. This could include questions
or a running commentary of a child’s actions (e.g. “Where the boat go?”)
Imaginative function - the use of language to tell stories and create imaginary constructs. This
typically accompanies play or leisure activities.
What did Aitchson find?
Labelling (attaching words to objects)
Packaging (in trying to ascertain the boundaries of the label, the child is likely to over or underextend)
Network building (identifying connections between objects)
What did Chomsky say about extension?
Over-extension: widening the meaning of a word so it applies not just to the actual object, but other objects
E.g. Billy sees his pet dog Rex and says “That’s a dog”. Looks at a cat, horse and cow and says “That’s a dog”
Under-extension: narrowing the meaning of a word, ignoring the other objects that do fit into that category.
E.g. Billy plays with his pet dog Rex and says “That’s a dog”. However his neighbor’s dog Fido is not a dog
What does Traw suggest?
Writing develops more rapidly when children are exposed to a wider range of written language.
What did Kroll argue?
Suggested that the changing relationship between speech and writing for a beginning writer could be used as a way to present a developmental model for learning to write.
This model is divided into four stages: preparatory, consolidation, differentiation and integration.
What did Tolchinsky find?
Writing can refer to the systems we use to transcribe
letters and words, but it can also refer to the
language that is used to convey meaning
Representational drawings and mark
making can be considered as the first signs of
children’s writing.
What did Britton find?
Argued that modes of writing do not follow a strict, linear progression, but rather interact and develop concurrently. His theory emphasized the importance of nurturing all three modes
What did Levin and Bus find?
Drawing plays a critical role in supporting young children’s literacy development
Drawing helps children to organize and express their thoughts visually
Children develop an understanding of how visual symbols can represent ideas and stories
