Spoken language theories

Question 1

what did Skinner (1975) suggest about child language

Answer 1

argued that children learn lang based on behaviourist reinforcement principles aka. operant conditioning

Question 2

what are the strengths of the behaviourist approach

Answer 2

• children do imitate adults e.g) phonology, gesture

- parents do use positive reinforcement

Question 3

what are the weaknesses of behaviourist approach

Answer 3

• children r active learners & not just parrrots since they over-generalise rules e.g) Berko’s WUG test
• fails to explain why children produce structures they haven’t heard before

Question 4

Chomsky nativist approach to language suggets…

Answer 4

• children have an innate ability to learn lang
• Language Acquistion Device (LAD) helps us learn lang
• emphasises the need for language in the environment to stimulate children’s innate abilities

Question 5

strengths of Chomsky

Answer 5

• universal stages
• children figure pattern & rules w/o being taught e.g) WUG test
• FOXP2 gene

Question 6

weaknesses of Chomsky

Answer 6

• neglected importance of social interaction, which needs to happen in the critical period
  e. g) feral children Genie & Jim, Kuhl’s research

Question 7

Bruner’s LASS

Answer 7

• Language Acquisition Support System

- Interaction & child directed speech are important e.g) turn taking, praise, re-casting

Question 8

Strengths of Bruner

Answer 8

Kuhl’s research
Genie
Jim

Question 9

Weakness of Bruner

Answer 9

• Children often resist adult correction until ready to learn
• some children learn slower
• not all cultures use CDS

Question 10

Vygotsky MKO

Answer 10

Children are little apprentices needing help & support of an MKO (more knowledgeable other) to help move forward within the zone of proximal development (ZPD)

Question 11

What is Garvey’s play theory

Answer 11

• Children adopt roles & act out storylines
• Pretend play fulfills imaginative lang function
• involves social & dramatic skills

Question 12

Piaget cognitive theory

Answer 12

• language follows childrens intellectual development
• little scientist which require the stimulus of diff contexts to enrich learning
• grammatical function words harder to learn

Question 13

What did Nelsons study show

Answer 13

Childrens 1st words split into 4 categories

1) entities: ppl & things
2) properties: e.g give, go
3) actions
4) personal-social: used for interaction

Question 14

Strengths of Piaget

Answer 14

• Nelsons study
• Aitchisons 3 stages reflect how lexical & semantic development is linked to understanding
• childrens understanding is ahead of ability

Question 15

Weakness of Piaget

Answer 15

Children parrot words e.g) swearing & numbers w/o fully understanding them

Underplayed importance of social interaction & adult support from an MKO

Question 16

What did Tomasello suggest

Answer 16

Usage-based theory
-language emerges bc children use it
2 innate cognitive skills 
-intention reading skills 
-pattern finding skills

They need nurture & social interaction & lang input from environment