Models of language and speech processing & the ICF & Theories of Language Development Flashcards
Stackhouse and Wells Model (1997)
Psycholinguistic perspective
2 points
Psycholinguistic perspective
• Child receives information about an utterance > remembers it > selects and produces words
• Children with speech/language difficulties experience one or more breakdowns along this framework
Speech Processing Model Stackhouse & Wells (1997)
This approach views a child’s speech problems as being derived from a breakdown at one or more levels of input, stored linguistic knowledge or output. However, it can also be used for typically developing children.
• Highlights the link between speech, language and literacy development
• Before learning to read and spell, children have already established a speech processing system to deal with their spoken language. This system is also the foundation for their written language development.
Stackhouse and Wells Model (1997) - Clinical Implications
Identify where the child’s speech/language processing skills are breaking down
• Highlight to parents/caregivers the importance of language
exposure and input for successful language learning
Bloom & Lahey’s Model
Bloom & Lahey looked at defining what is language:
- Form: morphology (grammar), syntax (sentences) and
phonological awareness.
- Content: semantics.
- Use: pragmatics.
6 Theories of Language Development
- Biological / Neural maturation Theory
- Nativist / [Psycho] linguistic Theory
- Behaviourism Theory
- Cognitive Theory [cognitive constructivism]
- Social Interactionist / Sociocultural Theory
- Stackhouse and Wells
- Biological / Neural Maturation Theory
Language is a product of brain functions, affected by environment and genetics.
• The brain is plastic i.e., potential to change
• Some macrostructures such as Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas are more critical than others for language
Implications:
• Genes provide an initial map for brain development, but it is the experiences and relationships babies and children have every day that literally shape their brains!
• Basic principles of neuroscience indicate that early intervention produces more favourable outcomes.
• Consider “critical” or “sensitive” periods for language learning (period of heightened responsiveness)
- Nativist / Linguistic Theory
Major proponents: Chomsky; Pinker
• Children have an innate (i.e., inborn) ability to learn language.
• LAD: Language Acquisition Device
• Children require only minimal language exposure to prime the LAD.
• Language input and social interaction have minimal influence on development.
• This theory emphasises the: “amazing language-learning ability (and drive to communicate) demonstrated by typically developing children.”
- Behaviourism Theory
Major proponents: Skinner; Bair; Lovaas A view that learning is passive - occurs as a result of responding to environmental stimuli; child has a clean slate and behaviour is shaped through + and – reinforcement Key terminology - Antecedent events - Shaping - Operant conditioning - Consequent events (four types) - Behavioural chaining Learning occurs when an environmental stimulus triggers a response or behaviour.
Behaviourism Theory - Shaping
Language is produced because caregivers selectively reinforce words.
Parents shape these sounds into words and give feedback to child when they imitate parent = a form of positive reinforcement
Behaviouralism Theory - Operant Conditioning
Operant conditioning: “involves learning to make a response because it produces a reinforcing effect and, learning not to make a response because it produces a punishing effect”
Behaviourism Theory - Consequent event
- Positive reinforcement: works by presenting a motivating item to the person after the
desired behaviour, making the behaviour more likely to happen in the future – e.g., SLP giving stickers, high-fives after child exhibits desired behaviour. - Negative reinforcement: works by removing an item after a particular behaviour is exhibited, making the behaviour more likely to happen in the future because of the removal of a negative stimuli – e.g., SLP stops making stern or sad face after child exhibits desired behaviour
- Punishment: works by presenting a negative stimulus or removing a positive reinforcer following undesired / inappropriate behaviour – e.g., SLP removes favourite game or says “no”
- Extinction (aka ignoring): based on behavioural principle that when a response is not reinforced it will go away – e.g., SLP ignores child tapping on table
- Cognitive Theory
Major proponents: Piaget; Flavell Key terminology & concepts - Representational & symbolic play - Piaget’s four (4) cognitive stages - object permanence - means-end behaviour (causality) - Linkages exist between children’s motor ability, play behaviour, and language development. - Representational/ symbolic play is relevant to language development
Piaget’s four (4) cognitive stages:
- Sensorimotor: birth → 2 years
- Pre-operational: 2 → 7 years
child learns to use language to meet needs;
begins to solve physical problems - Concrete operational: 7 → 11 years
child learns to categorise and organise information - Formal operational: 11 → 15 years
learns to be an abstract thinker
Cognitive Theory
Sensorimotor stage: birth → 2 years
Means-end behaviour (cause and effect)
Child demonstrates intentionality
Child identifies a problem and makes a plan to solve the problem
Examples: child pushes a button or pulls a string to make a toy move (cause and effect)
child call “ma-ma” and waits for mother to appear
Cognitive Theory
Sensorimotor stage: birth → 2 years
Why is means-end behaviour relevant to language development?
Communication: intentionality, plans to solve a problem, begins to anticipate outcome
- anticipates an outcome
- selects appropriate behaviour to achieve outcome
- maintains behaviour to achieve outcome
- terminates / revises behaviour when outcome reached
Cognitive Theory
Sensorimotor stage: birth → 2 years
Object permanence
Child realises an object exists even when it cannot be seen.
Very young children cannot understand that objects continue to exist when they can’t be seen or felt
i.e., will quickly lose interest in (and not search for) a hidden toy.
Cognitive Theory
Sensorimotor stage: birth → 2 years
Why is object permanence relevant to language development?
- required if objects not present are going to be spoken about
- otherwise can only communicate about things that can be seen
Cognitive Theory
Pretend Play is either
- Representational [Dramatic] Play:
• Pretend play which emerges when a child begins to use familiar objects in appropriate ways to represent their world. - Symbolic Play:
• Pretend play in which a child uses one object to represent another
Cognitive Theory
Why is representational / symbolic play relevant to language development?
Why is representational / symbolic play relevant to language development?
• Infant’s have an early understanding of the symbolic nature of both e.g., a spoken word is an acoustic sequence that symbolises a semantic concept, in play a banana can represent a telephone
• Play sequences > linked to development of word sequences
• Play contexts > children can produce more complex grammatical language
• Play > linked to narrative development
- Social Interactionist / Sociocultural Theory
Major proponents: Vygotsky, Bloom, Bruner…
Key terminology
- Infant-directed talk
- Scripts
- Zone of proximal development
Communication interaction plays a central role in children’s language acquisition:
- Effects of social interaction on child language development – severe neglect or abuse
- Effects of social interaction on child language development – stimulating language development
(Infant-directed talk / baby-talk / motherese / parentese)
- Social Interactionist / Sociocultural Theory
Scripts: Parent-child routines
- Scripts: Scaffolding of predictable structure of an event that provides “slots” for participation and aids comprehension (Owens, 2012, p 438)
- Familiar interactions allows the child to anticipate his / her role in the interaction (builds pragmatic communication skills)
- Joint action routines (shared action sequences) provide the basis for many scripts
- Examples: repeated book-reading with pausing; peek-a-boo; “waving bye-bye”
Linear theories of phonological acquisition
Assume that:
•each discrete segment of this string of sound elements consists of a bundle of distinctive features
•all sound segments have equal value & all distinctive features are equal.
•phonological rules/processes generated apply only to the segmental level (as opposed to the suprasegmental level) and to changes that occur in the distinctive features (Dinnsen, 1997)