Theories of Language Development

Question 1

What are the 4 categories of theories in language development?

Answer 1

Innate- Chomsky

Behaviourist/Learning- Skinner, Bandura

Constructivist- PIaget

Social-Constructivist- Vygotsky, Bruner

Question 2

Who are the Innate Theorists?

Answer 2

Chomsky:
Language is biological (Innate).
Critical Period from 0-10 years.
LAD= allows children to break into language code and use it.
A language Rich Environment is required.
Universal Grammar= seems to be a genetic predisposition to understand grammar.

Question 3

What are the positives and negatives of Innate Theorists?

Answer 3

Positives:
The fact children worldwide meet language milestones at a similar point that supports the view that language is innate.

There are brain areas linked to language (Broca and Wernicke).

Negatives:
This theory ignores the importance of the environment and interaction.

Question 4

Who are the Behaviourist/Learning Theorists?

Answer 4

Skinner:
Language is learnt and shaped through consequences, reinforcement and making associations between words and meanings.
Through the use of primary and secondary reinforcers, children can be encouraged to learn and use language.

Bandura:
Language is learnt through imitation and observation of models and vicarious reinforcement.
Children repeat what people say and how they say it.

Question 5

What are the negatives of Behaviourist/Learning Theorists?

Answer 5

Negatives:
Consequences cannot shape language.
Children make errors that do not come from imitation.
Children learn language so rapidly there must be an innate aspect too.

Question 6

Who are the Constructivist Theorists?

Answer 6

Piaget:
Children are active learners.
They use experience to build schemas.
Cognitive development occurs in stages.
He believed cognitive development comes first before language.

Question 7

What are the negatives of Constructivist Theorists?

Answer 7

Negatives:
Cognitive development is impaired but language is not (in some cases).
This suggests that they are not as closely linked as he thought.

Question 8

Who are the Social-Constructivist Theorists?

Answer 8

Vygotsky:
Scaffolding and guided participation helps them through ZPD.
Children learn language through ZPD.
Children are little apprentices.
He distinguished between internal and external speech.
He believed speech comes first before thought.

Bruner:
Scaffolding is used to support language.
Symbolic mode of representation= language is used in thought.
LASS is when interactions with adults help children learn skills and tools for language.