Theories for child acquisition

Question 1

Skinner

Answer 1

behaviourist- children imitate adults and their correct utterances are reinforced when they are praised.
positive and negative reinforcement.

Question 2

Chomsky

Answer 2

innateness- a child’s brain contains special language learning mechanisms at birth.
LAD (language acquisition device) able to process grammatical structure of language.

Question 3

Piaget

Answer 3

cognitive- language is just one aspect of a child’s overall intellectual development.

Question 4

Jean Aitchison

Answer 4

semantic model
labelling- understand concepts of labels and links words to things.
packaging- explore extent of labels (over or under extend)
network building- make connections between labels.

Question 5

Ursla Bellugi

Answer 5

three stages of pronoun development
child uses their own name
recognises I/me pronouns
uses pronouns according to whether they are subject/object position

Question 6

Jean Berko

Answer 6

experiment on 4-5 year olds
drew a wug then drew another, 76% of children used regular plural -s to make it plural (wugs)

Question 7

Berko and Brown

Answer 7

Fis phenomena
children are able to recognise sounds before they are able to produce them. phonological errors occur as a result of physiological development occurring slower tan cognitive development.

Question 8

Bruner

Answer 8

Bruners LASS (language acquisition support system) children acquire language through social interaction, routine and ritual that teach social convention such as turn-taking.

Question 8

Roger Brown

Answer 8

identified stages of morphemes
present tense progressive (-ing) is learnt first

Question 9

Clarke

Answer 9

children start asking questions through three stages
stage 1- rising intonation but no grammar used (mummy here)
stage 2- child grasps wh- words (where mummy)
stage 3- child learns auxiliary verbs (is mummy here)

Question 10

Halliday’s functions

Answer 10

7 functions.
transactional- language is used to fulfil a lesson a need.
regulatory- where language is used to influence behaviour.
interactional-where language is used to develop relationships
personal- language is used to convey opinions
representational- language is used to convey facts
imaginative-language used to create an imaginary world
heuristic- language used to learn the world around them.

Question 11

Katherine Nelson

Answer 11

the first 50 words of 18 children
naming (things or people)
actions/events
modifying
personal/social

Question 12

Vygotsky

Answer 12

theory of scaffolding and providing help when young and slowly remove it as they get older.
ZPD ( zone of proximal development) capacity to improve
MKO (more knowledgeable other) caregiver who helps.
Sociodramatic play- being able to create scenarios through play.