CLA: Key Terminology

Question 1

Operant Conditioning

Answer 1

• A positive or negative response given by a parent/caregiver which can influence the language used by a child.

Question 2

Positive reinforcement

Answer 2

• Encouraging/establishing a pattern of behaviourby giving rewards and praise.

Question 3

Negative reinforcement

Answer 3

• Stopping a child from repeating a mistake though correction, punishment, ignoring or a denial of wants (E.g. ‘Say Please)

Question 4

Universal Grammar

Answer 4

• All humans possess similar grammatical properties which the brain is hardwird to decode and use.

Question 5

LAD (Language Acquisition Device)

Answer 5

• Baby is born with an innate knowledge of language so already knows linguistic rules.
• Baby is exposed to their native language.
• The linguistic rules aide the baby to make presumptions about the language it is hearing
• As the baby is exposed to a wider variety of language, the more the Baby’s language begins to reflect an adults language.

Question 6

Critical period hypothesis

Answer 6

• Crucial time period to acquire first language.
• If language input does not occur until after this time, then the individual will never fully develop linguistically, especially grammatical systems.

Question 7

Egocentric

Answer 7

• When a child is unable to see a situation/scenario from another perspective or mentally process the concept that somthing can exist outside of their immediate surroundings.

Question 8

Object Permance

Answer 8

• When a child can understand the existence of something despite not seeing it.

Question 9

Interpersonal speech

Answer 9

• Also coined: Social speech
• External communication used to talk with one another.

Question 10

Intrapersonal speech

Answer 10

• Also coined: Private speech.
• Communication that a person directs at themselfs (Internal Monologue)
• Typically occurs from age 3.

Question 11

Silent inner speech

Answer 11

• When private speech is internalised.
• Typically occurs from age 7.

Question 12

Intentional Reading

Answer 12

• The child understands the meanings and intentions of the language spoken around them from the language used as well as the gestures used.
• e.g. Children in the holophrastic stage identify the words communicating the most meaning and use them.

Question 13

Pattern finding

More+

Answer 13

• At the two word stage, children can understand the effect of particular word pairings and patterns, developing grammatical accuracy.
• e.g. More+Noun -> Command which rewards the child with what they want.

Question 14

Constructions

Answer 14

• Chunks of language. (Such as slot-and-frame constructions).

Question 15

Slot-and-frames

Answer 15

• Constructions with a reliable pattern which can be populated with different variables.
• E.g. ‘It’s X/ Where’s X?’ X being the variable which can be filled by different items.)