Module 4: Language Development

Question 1

Which of these is a component of Chomsky’s language acquisition theory?

A) Children do not learn language until they are adults.
B) Language errors are different for children of different ages, countries, and language groups.
C) Language learning is innate and instinctive.
D) Language learning is different across cultures.

Answer 1

C) Language learning is innate and instinctive

Chomsky’s theory holds that children learn to use language because of an innate capacity for language and communication; they do not need to be explicitly taught but, rather, pick it up instinctively.

Question 2

What is Chomsky’s Language acquisition device (LAD)

Answer 2

People are born with innate, instinctive, biological ability to learn language.

believes in universal grammar: All languages follow similar rules and patterns

Question 3

True or False

Chomsky would say that a child’s pattern of language use demonstrates the existence of universal grammar.

Answer 3

True

Chomsky’s theory states that because most children acquire and use language in a consistent way, there is a common structure or grammar within language, known as universal grammar.

Question 4

Fatima, a kindergarten student, is learning English. Her teacher wants to reinforce Fatima’s use of English vocabulary in a way that is consistent with operant conditioning or behaviorist principles.

When Fatima calls out to ask for a pencil, how should the teacher respond in order to reinforce her use of vocabulary words?

A) Smile, hand Fatima a pencil, and say, “Here is the pencil. Please remember to raise your hand next time.”
B) Promise to give Fatima a pencil in a few minutes.
C) Make Fatima write the word in order to build her writing skills.
D) Ignore Fatima because she did not raise her hand.

Answer 4

A) Smile, hand Fatima a pencil, and say, “Here is the pencil. Please remember to raise your hand next time.”

It is appropriate to remind Fatima to raise her hand next time. However, since your primary goal here is to improve her language skills and use of vocabulary, it is also appropriate to provide her the pencil as reinforcement.

Question 5

How does B.F. Skinner believe that children learn language

Answer 5

Children learn language based on reinforcement
associating words with meanings
learn language through imitating, prompting, and shaping
correct utterances are positively reinforced

Question 6

What are the 3 key processes Skinner states children learn language

Answer 6

Imitating others: Seeing a sibling ask for an apple and then asking for one

Prompting from others: parent might ask “Do you want an apple?”

Shaping from others: providing positive reinforcement when they are close. a child says “C” you give them a cookie. a child says “Coo” you give them a cookie. A child says “Cook” you give them a cookie

Question 7

A preschool teacher wants Michael to say “more juice please” when he wants more juice. The teacher first uses positive reinforcement to condition Michael to say “more” when he wants more juice, then reinforces “more juice,” and finally reinforces “more juice please.”

Which principle of operant conditioning is the teacher using?

A) Repetition
B) Imitation
C) Prompting
D) Shaping

Answer 7

D) Shaping

The teacher is engaged in a process involving the shaping of Michael’s words into a correct form by the use of positive reinforcement.

Question 8

What is Vygotsky’s Sociocultural approach to Language social constructivist

Answer 8

Interaction with a more knowledgeable other (MKO): adult, older child, more knowledgeable peer

Zone of proximal development: using vocab words appropriate for the child

Scaffolding: Supporting the child with the vocab

language develops through social interaction, culture plays a role in language development, children need interpersonal interactions with others

Question 9

What is the zone of proximal development?

A) The zone of proximal development is the location where a student is born and where he or she first interacted with others.
B) The zone of proximal development is the space between a student’s actual and potential ability, and social interaction and scaffolding can help students maximize their potential.
C) The zone of proximal development is the term used to describe a student’s stage of social development.
D) The zone of proximal development is the location where the student is most comfortable interacting with others.

Answer 9

B) The zone of proximal development is the space between a student’s actual and potential ability, and social interaction and scaffolding can help students maximize their potential.

Social interaction can help students learn language, as language growth does not happen in isolation. Social interaction can help students move closer to proficient language use and maximize their potential.

Question 10

Match the correct theory and theorist with the sentence that best describes the theory’s main idea. Skinner, Vygotsky, Chomsky

Language learning occurs when you receive a positive response to communication, increasing your motivation to try again.

Answer 10

Skinner

Skinner believed that positive feedback helped condition you to keep communicating, making language use a learned behavior.

Question 11

Match the correct theory and theorist with the sentence that best describes the theory’s main idea. Skinner, Vygotsky, Chomsky

Children are born with a language acquisition device or the innate ability to learn language.

Answer 11

Chomsky

Chomsky believed the ability to learn a language is innate, not socially influenced.

Question 12

Match the correct theory and theorist with the sentence that best describes the theory’s main idea. Skinner, Vygotsky, Chomsky

Language learning happens in the context of culture and social interaction, with scaffolding helping you develop language skills.

Answer 12

Vygotsky

Vygotsky believed that the interactive element of communication was a critical part of language learning.

Question 13

Language Development Expectations:

Birth to 1 Year

Answer 13

-recognizes voices, sounds, music
-coos
-babbles
-giggles and laughs
-recognizes name
-says single words
-understands words for common items
-points to common objects

Question 14

Language Development Expectations:

1 to 2 Years

Answer 14

-puts two words together
-points to body parts
-follows simple directions (roll the ball, kiss the baby)
- responds to simple questions (who’s that? Where’s your shoe?)
- Names pictures in books
-listens to simple stories, songs, and rhymes

Question 15

Language Development Expectations:

2 to 3 Years

Answer 15

• has a word for most everything
  -uses 2-3 word sentences
  -understands opposites (go/stop, big/little, up/down)
  -follows 2 part directions
  -understands new words quickly
  -talks about things that are not in the room

Question 16

Language Development Expectations:

3 to 4 Years

Answer 16

-uses 4-5 word sentences
- answers simple who, what, when , where, or how questions
-says rhyming words
-uses some plurals
-understands words for basic colors
-understands words for basic shapes
-understands words for family members
-responds when you call from another room

Question 17

Language Development Expectations:

4 to 5 Years

Answer 17

-understands words for order or sequence (first, next, last)
- understand words for time (yesterday, today, tomorrow)
- follows longer or multi-step directions
-uses sentences that have more than one action verb
-tells a short story
keeps a conversation going

Question 18

What are the 4 main stages in language?

Answer 18

Babbling
Holophrastic Stage
Two-Word Stage
Telegraphic Stage

Question 19

Explain the Babbling stage in language

Answer 19

0-11 months
start to recognize and produce sound, motherese-behaviorism

Question 20

Explain the Holophrastic stage in language

Answer 20

11-18 months (1.5 yrs)
one word, overgeneralize

Question 21

Explain the Two-Word stage in language

Answer 21

18-30 months (2.5 yrs)
mini sentences, literally 2 words

Question 22

Explain the telegraphic stage in language

Answer 22

2.5 yrs +(until has fluent language skills)
three or more words
progress quickly
10-12 new words a day
shorten sentences
subject, verb, and object but may not be grammatically correct
has meaning and serves a purpose

Question 23

For the age, select the language skill that is typically acquired. Babbling stage, two-word stage, or holophrastic stage

Birth - 11 months of age

Answer 23

Babbling Stage

Infants begin to babble at Birth- 11 months of age and produce more complex, word-like babbling sounds at 6–9 months of age.

Question 24

For the age, select the language skill that is typically acquired. Babbling stage, two-word stage, or holophrastic stage

1.5 - 2.5 years of age.

Answer 24

Two-Word Stage

Toddlers have moved from single words to two-word phrases by 1.5- 2.5 years of age.

Question 25

For the age, select the language skill that is typically acquired. Babbling stage, two-word stage, or holophrastic stage

11 months to 1.5 years of age

Answer 25

Holophrastic Stage

Infants may attempt first words, which may or may not sound like the adult pronunciation.

Question 26

True or False

According to typical language development expectations, a two- to three-year-old should be able to follow multi-phrase classroom directions with abstract language (e.g., draw a line under the picture on the paper that shows something you play with).

Answer 26

False

This prompt would be much more appropriate for an older child, such as a four- to five-year-old. A two- to three-year-old child may be able to follow simple one-step commands with some complex, but not abstract, language.

Question 27

A young child loves to snuggle with their blanket and say, “Ba, Ba,” while holding it.

At which stage of language development is the child working?

Answer 27

Babbling Stage

Babbling is when children make vowel sounds and consonant vowel sounds.

Question 28

A mother says to her three-year-old, “Oh no! You fell down. Did you get an owie?”

How would Vygotsky categorize this mother’s conversation with her child?

A) Providing the child with positive reinforcement
B) Shaping the child’s speech
C) Working in the child’s zone of proximal development
D) Using universal grammar with the child

Answer 28

C) Working on the child’s zone of proximal development

When discussing language, the zone of proximal development refers to using a vocabulary appropriate for the child. Words such as “owie” would be appropriate for a three-year-old.

Question 29

A toddler says, “Me so big!” The toddler’s father gives the child a huge smile.

Which operant conditioning principle is the father using with the child?

A) Working in the child’s zone of proximal development
B) Allowing the child to use imitation
C) Providing the child with positive reinforcement
D) Using universal grammar with the child

Answer 29

C) Providing the child with positive reinforcement

Positive reinforcement refers to the idea of giving someone something they want in order to encourage repetition of the behavior. Positive reinforcement is part of Skinner’s theory of language development (operant conditioning). Examples of positive reinforcement are a smile, praise, a sticker, a prize, etc. In this question the father smiles at the child.

Question 30

Which theorist believed that language is biological and all people have a language acquisition device enabling language to be learned?

Answer 30

Chomsky

Chomsky’s language acquisition device refers to his theory that all people have a device inside the brain that gives everyone the innate biological ability to speak.

Question 31

A child points at a dog. The mother says to the child, “Do you see the big dog?”

Which of Skinner’s key processes for learning language is the mother using?

Answer 31

Prompting

Prompting refers to when someone who speaks fluently asks a child a question thus developing the child’s ability to speak.

Question 32

Which stage of language development is a child who says, “I go play dog” likely working at?

Answer 32

Telegraphic

In the telegraphic stage, the child uses three or more words. What the child says will include a subject and verb, have meaning and purpose, but may not be grammatically correct. In this question the child says four words which include a subject and verb with meaning and purpose, but the sentence is not grammatically correct.

Question 33

What does Chomsky call his theory that all languages follow certain basic rules?

A) The stages of language development
B) The rules of language development
C) Language acquisition device
D) Universal grammar

Answer 33

D) Universal Grammar

Chomsky’s universal grammar refers to the idea that all languages follow similar grammatical rules or patterns.

Question 34

Which theorist proposes the idea that language develops through our interactions with others?

Answer 34

Vygotsky

Vygotsky’s theory of language development suggests that language development occurs through interactions with more knowledgeable others.

Question 35

A child follows its mother around the house, repeating the word up repeatedly.

Which stage of language development is this representing?

Answer 35

Holophrastic

The “O” in holophrastic stands for one word. The child in the question is using one word to communicate. 

Question 36

What is the term for being born with the ability to learn language innately and instinctively without any formal instruction, according to Chomsky?

Answer 36

Language Acquisition Device

Chomsky’s language acquisition device refers to his theory that we all have a device inside our brains that gives everyone the innate biological ability to speak.

Question 37

A parent smiles and talks back to their child in excitement after the child makes a babbling noise that sounds like Mama or Dada.

Which concept from Skinner’s language development theory is this?

Answer 37

Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement refers to the idea of giving someone something they want in the hopes of the behavior being repeated. Examples of positive reinforcement are a smile, praise, a sticker, a prize, etc.

Question 38

Which key concept does Vygotsky’s approach to language development focus on?

Answer 38

Social Interaction

Vygotsky’s theory of language development suggests that through social interactions with those who are more knowledgeable, language development occurs.

Question 39

What is the name of Chomsky’s theory which explains that children learning all languages make the same types of usage errors and that all individuals follow certain patterns of language usage?

A) Shaping
B) Language acquisition device
C) Zone of proximal development
D) Universal grammar

Answer 39

Universal Grammar

Chomsky’s universal grammar refers to the idea that all languages follow similar grammatical rules or patterns.

Question 40

Two children are at the dinner table with their mother. One child asks the mother, “Can I have dessert now?” and the mother replies, “Yes.” The other child immediately asks, “Can I have dessert now?”

Which of Skinner’s key processes is the second child using in this situation?

Answer 40

Imitation

Imitating refers to the child repeating what someone else has said in order to obtain the same reinforcement.

Question 41

How is language acquired according to Skinner’s theory of language development?

A) By imitating others’ language and positive reinforcement for recognizable speech
B) Through a device that allows children to sift through language and generate rules that govern the language
C) Through biologically programmed learning capacities
D) By cognitive understanding of speech sounds and their relationship to real objects and actions

Answer 41

A) By imitating others’ language and positive reinforcement for recognizable speech

Skinner’s theory of language development discusses positive reinforcement, imitation, prompting, and shaping.