Spoken Child Language Acquisition

Question 1

What are the 4 main theories? With theorists?

Answer 1

1. Behaviourism - developed by Skinner
2. Nativism - developed by Chomsky
3. Social interaction - developed by Bruner
4. Cognitive - developed by Piaget/Vygotsky

Question 2

What is behaviourism?

Answer 2

A theory that is based off of observable data, not on abstract theories. It states that trying things out through action or behaviour and if it works, one is conditioned to repeat it through reinforcement and it become a habit, so the brain is a blank slate

Question 3

What is nativism?

Answer 3

A theory that states that the ability to use language is innate - hardwiring of the brain meaning the brain is not a blank slate

Question 4

What is social interaction?

Answer 4

A theory that states that one has an innate ability which is assisted by the environment and interactions around the learner of language

Question 5

What is cognitive theory?

Answer 5

A theory that states that learning language is part of our overall cognitive development so as we learn concepts like size and volume, this is mirrored in our language

Question 6

What do children have to learn?

Answer 6

-How to create individual phonemes and phonemic combinations
-How to use a vocabulary of words and understand their meanings
-How to combine a variety of sentence constructions, changing words formations to express different word classes
-How to use prosodic features such as pitch, loudness, speed and intonation to convey meaning
-How to structure interactions with others
-The subtleties of speech, such as politeness, implication, irony

Question 7

Who developed the 8 stages of development?

Answer 7

David Crystal

Question 8

What are Crystals 8 stages of development? With examples

Answer 8

1. Vegetative e.g. reflexive sounds
2. Cooing e.g. oohh, ahh
3. Babbling e.g. Dadadada
4. Proto words e.g. bot-bot (bottle)
5. Holophrase/One word e.g. cup
6. Two-word e.g. James tired
7. Telegraphic e.g. I sleepy need nap
8. Post telegraphic e.g. I am very hungry

Question 9

Who are the 2 key theorists who explored the functions of children’s speech? What were their theories?

Answer 9

1. Michael Halliday - Taxonomic Functions of children’s speech
2. John Dore - Individual Speech Acts

Question 10

What are the 2 categories of function types in Michael Hallidays Taxonomic Functions of Speech?

Answer 10

1. Linked to a child’s emotional, social and physical needs
2. Moving from the child to their environment

Question 11

What are the 4 function types that are linked to a child’s emotional, social and physical needs in Michael Hallidays Taxonomic Functions of Speech?

Answer 11

1. Instrumental
2. Regulatory
3. Interactional
4. Personal

Question 12

What is the instrumental function type of language used to do in Michael Hallidays Taxonomic Functions of Speech? With example

Answer 12

Fulfil a need e.g. ‘want milk’

Question 13

What is the regulatory function type of language used to do in Michael Hallidays Taxonomic Functions of Speech? With example

Answer 13

Influences behaviour of others e.g. ‘pick up’

Question 14

What is the Interactional function type of language used to do in Michael Hallidays Taxonomic Functions of Speech? With example

Answer 14

Develop and maintain social relationships e.g. ‘love you’

Question 15

What is the personal function type of language used to do in Michael Hallidays Taxonomic Functions of Speech? With example

Answer 15

Convey individual opinions, ideas and personal identity e.g. ‘me like Charlie and Lola’

Question 16

What are the 3 function types that are linked to a child’s environment in Michael Hallidays Taxonomic Functions of Speech?

Answer 16

1. Representational
2. Imaginative
3. Heuristic

Question 17

What is the representational function type of language used to do in Michael Hallidays Taxonomic Functions of Speech? With example

Answer 17

Conveying facts and information e.g. ‘it hot’

Question 18

What is the imaginative function type of language used to do in Michael Hallidays Taxonomic Functions of Speech? With example

Answer 18

Creating an imaginary world and may be seen mainly in play e.g. ‘me shopkeeper’

Question 19

What is the heuristic function type of language used to do in Michael Hallidays Taxonomic Functions of Speech? With example

Answer 19

Learning about the environment e.g. ‘wassat?’

Question 20

What are the 8 functions in John Dore’s Individual Speech Act?

Answer 20

1. Labelling
2. Repeating
3. Answering
4. Requesting action
5. Calling
6. Greeting
7. Protesting
8. Practising

Question 21

What is the labelling function of language used to do in John Dore’s Individual Speech Act?

Answer 21

Naming a person, object or thing

Question 22

What is the repeating function of language used to do in John Dore’s Individual Speech Act?

Answer 22

Repeating an adult word or utterance

Question 23

What is the answering function of language used to do in John Dore’s Individual Speech Act?

Answer 23

Responding to an utterance of another speaking

Question 24

What is the requesting action function of language used to do in John Dore’s Individual Speech Act?

Answer 24

Asking something to be done for them

Question 25

What is the calling function of language used to do in John Dore’s Individual Speech Act?

Answer 25

Getting attention by shouting

Question 26

What is the greeting function of language used to do in John Dore’s Individual Speech Act?

Answer 26

Greeting someone or something

Question 27

What is the protesting function of language used to do in John Dore’s Individual Speech Act?

Answer 27

Objecting to requests from others

Question 28

What is the practising function of language used to do in John Dore’s Individual Speech Act?

Answer 28

Using language when no adult is present

Question 29

What do children need to learn to communicate with others successfully?

Answer 29

Lexis
Phonology
Discourse
Pragmatics
Grammar and syntax
Morphology
Graphology and orthography

Question 30

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 30

Conditioning a child into producing language by using positive and negative reinforcement, reinforcement encourages to do something again n but punishment discourages from it. The behaviourism theory is built off of this.

Question 31

What are the strengths of behaviourism?

Answer 31

-It has been scientifically proven and there is evidence of this in the real world
-Conditioning behaviour works on both humans and other animals, and there are specific experiments that proved this
-It’s completely plausible - focuses on the information right in front of us rather than on abstract ideas
-There is proof that when a child babbles, if they are given some vocal attention like intonation, they are likely to continue to make those same noises
-Children pick up sounds, words and pronunciation that they hear around them - this is very obvious

Question 32

What are the weaknesses of behaviourism?

Answer 32

-Although it has been tested on pigeons, does the same apply to humans and learning language -Children dont understand the conventions of being rewarded and punished, the theory therefore doesn’t work - may say words on a whim and never say them again
-If a behaviour is rewarded at the wrong time, then the wrong behaviour may be reinforced and repeated
-Removes the argument that all humans have a natural ability to speak
-Children who are raised in homes where they aren’t rewarded for making words, still know how to speak the language - proving language isn’t developed based on behaviour