Ed. Psych Midterm Part 6

Language: Pragmatics

Appropriate use of language in different contexts.

Language: Syntax

Rules for combining words into phrases/sentences.

Comparison of Piaget's and Vygotsky's Theories:

-Both are constructivist. -Vygotsky's social constructivist approach emphasizes social context of learning and construction of knowledge through social interactions. -Piaget focuses on individual; Vygotsky focuses on collaboration, social interaction, and sociocultural activity.

Biological and Environmental Influences on Language:

-Children are neither exclusively biological linguists nor social architects of language. -Interactionists emphasize the contribution of both.

Vygotsky's Theory:

-Zone of Proximal Development: Range of tasks too difficult for child to master alone. Can be learned with guidance and assistance. -Scaffolding: Teacher adjusts the level of support as performance rises. -Language and thought: Develop independently of each other, then merge. Have external or social origins. Self-talk

Criticisms of Piaget's Theory:

-Estimates of children's competence: some cognitive abilities emerge earlier, others later. -Stages: Though to be unitary structures- some concrete operational concepts do not appear at same time. -Training children to reason at a higher level: Piaget argued training is ineffective unless child is at maturational transition point. -Culture and education: Stronger influence on child's development than Piaget thought.

How Language Develops for Adolescence:

-Increased sophistication in use of words. -Greater understanding of metaphors, satire, and complex literary works. -Better writers. -Dialect includes jargons and slang.

Criticism of Vygotsky's Theory:

-Not specific enough about age-related changes. -Did not adequately describe how changes in socioemotional capabilities contribute to cognitive development. -Overemphasized role of language in thinking. -Emphasis on collaboration and guidance may produce pitfalls.

How Language Develops in Stages for Early Childhood:

-Phonology: Sensitive to sounds, rhymes. -Morphology: Overgeneralize rules. -Syntax: Complex rules for ordering words. -Semantics: 6-year-old: 8000 to 14000 word vocabulary. -Pragmatics: Talk in different ways to different people.

How Language Develops in Stages for Middle and Late Childhood:

-Phonology:Alphabetic principles-letter sound correspondence. -Morphology: Appropriate application of rules. -Syntax: Complex grammar; metalinguistic awareness. -Semantics: 12-year-old: 50,000-word vocabulary. -Pragmatics: Culturally appropriate language use.

Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD):

-Upper limit: Level of additional responsibility child can accept with assistance of an able instructor. -Lower limit: Level of problem solving reached on these tasks by child working alone.

Language: Semantics

Meaning of words and sentences.

Language: Phonology

Sound system of a language

Language: Morphology

Units of meaning involved in word formation.