The social interactionist approach

Question 1

Bruner

Answer 1

suggested that the way in which carers question, encourage and support the child through scaffolding, enables them to gradually develop their speech. (they learn through personal discovery)

Question 2

Language acquisition support system (LASS)

Answer 2

a system where caregivers support their child’s linguistic development in social situations.

Question 3

Vygotsky (1978)

Answer 3

identified two significant factors that contribute to language development:

Question 4

1. Private speech

Answer 4

when a child talks aloud to itself. Vygotsky saw this as a major step forward in a child’s mental development - evidence that they’re thinking for themselves.

Question 5

2. Zone of proximal development

Answer 5

when a child needs a caregiver’s help in order to interact. This gives the child a model to apply to similar situations in the future when it might respond without help.

Question 6

Scaffolding

Answer 6

children require it less once they become more able to deal with different social and cultural situations on their own.

Question 7

Evaluation strength:

Answer 7

routine/rituals seem to teach children about spoken discourse structure such as turn-taking.

Question 8

Evaluation strength:

Answer 8

pragmatic development suggests that children do learn politeness and verbally acceptable behaviour

Question 9

Evaluation weakness:

Answer 9

children from cultures that do not promote interaction with children can still become articulate and fluent users without adult input.