Language Acquistion Flashcards
Reinforcement theory
- Learning language based on experience. -When a child is corrected, language is reinforced.
- Problems with this theory include the observation that children whose parents do not use proper grammar may still learn and use the rules of proper grammar.
Imitation theory
- Learning language through imitation. For example if a baby hears adults speak the baby begins to copy the sound
- The problem is sometimes children create words that they did not hear adults say. For example, they might say drived for the past tense of drive or eated for the past tense of eat.
Inateness Theory
(Chromsky) The idea that humans have a genetic predisposition to learning language that is especially amplified during childhood.
Behaviorist Theory
(Skinner) The idea that learning occurs through behavioral imitation of others.
Cognitive Theory
(Piaget) The idea that language development is part of our larger cognitive development and cannot be acquired without developing other cognitive features.
Critical period theory
The idea that children are preprogramed for learning languages during a specific period.
Natural order theory
This theory says that language, whether it is a first language or second language, is learned in a particular order. Basically this theory believes that when one learns English as his or her second-language the errors made during the acquisition of language or similar regardless of each learners original language. The errors made are often similar to those made by young children learning their first language.
Characteristics stages
As a person learns a new language, there are characteristic stages that all learners will go through. Different learners will spend different amount of time in each stage and some may not progress beyond a specific stage. For a second language. The stages move from simply listening and storing words in the new language to beginning to speak in the new language to a more verbal expression of the new language.
Synthesizing language rules
The processing of learning parts of a language or language rules and then combining them to enhance understanding of the language as a whole.
Internalizing language rules
Once language rules have been thoroughly incorporated into one’s understanding, those rules have been internalized. The language user does not have to consciously sort through rules and his or her head, the rules are automatically used and applied.
Affective Factors
Those factors that affect our emotional state.
Affective Filter Hypothesis
The suggestion that there are emotional factors that can negatively affect the learner’s language development.
Imitation Hypothesis
The idea that language can be acquired simply through daily practical exposure and imitation of fluent speakers.
Input Hypothesis
The idea that language development can only progress is the EL receives language input at the appropriate Natural Order Hypothesis stage for his current fluency level.
Learned Hypothesis
The idea that language can be learned through explicit instruction.
