Theories of Language Development

Major Theories of Language Development: Universal Grammar Noam Chomsky

(Syntax) Beginning in the late 1950s, Noam Chomsky and others tried to identify universal syntactic rules. This was located in the brain, theoretically called the language acquisition device (LAD). -Grammatical rules and constraints are consistent in all world languages. Wasn't saying that syntax was the same across languages, but that universally there is something in the brain that helps us produce language

Major Theories of Language Development: Piaget's Cognitive Theory

(Thought) -Genetic Epistemiology -Children are active agents -Egocentric Language is genetic in nature--> children are egocentric so they are not as social as maybe we think they are when it comes to learning language

Generativists con

Acquisition has two components: 1. Acquiring all the words, idioms, and constructions of that language. 2. Linking the core structures of the particular language being learned to the universal grammar (algebra equations that are already there)

Limitations of Skinner

Chomsky counters: Parents provide poor models while talking to each other Children could not possibly learn all possible constructions by imitation Parents do not reinforce the grammatically correct constructions of young children Nature theory and universal grammar

Cognitive Constructivist

Developed by Jean Piaget in 1962 -Stages of Cognitive Development/Structures of Knowledge Focus on influence of development as an addition of experiences on top of already existing concepts Inability to view another's perspective as they do Declines with age More nature: have to pass through specific cognitive stages, so based on brain development

Generativists

Generative grammar assumes that natural languages are like formal languages, such as mathematics characterized by: A unified set of abstract algebraic rules that are meaningless themselves and insensitive to the meanings of the elements (words) they combine A set of meaningful linguistic elements (words) that serve as variables in the rules. This universal grammar is similar to algebra b/c there are abstract ideas that underlie in our language there are certain "formulas" and ways that words can be put together

Generativist Approach

Generativists assume it is impossible for children to gain linguistic knowledge from the environment because input is limited and full of errors and incomplete information. "To come to know a human language would be an extraordinary intellectual achievement for a creature not specifically designed to accomplish this task". -Chomsky, 1975 Nature inspired--> if system wasn't in place for language learning it would be too hard for it to actually happen Have to have something there already in our brains to help us with it Take away from video: if it were strictly nurture, children would say sentences directly imitated from their parents, but that doesn't always happen they would not have heard from an adult "all gone sticky" & can use plural without needing to mimic it or really understanding what they're doing such "mugs"

Four stages summarized

Minds grow as bodies grow 1. Sensorimotor- use what they touch, see, and taste to learn--> why they're always touching things and putting it in their mouths ---Object permanence- once an object is taken away they don't look for it b/c if they don't see it they don't think it exists 2. Pretend play and egocentric-->if they can see or cant see, they think it's the same for you 3. Learn idea of conservation--> pouring liquids in the same container into shorter and taller containers and understanding it's still the same amount of water 4. Understand abstract concepts and moral reasoning

Major Differences

Nativists: Born with a bias for grammatical patterns (universal grammar-algebraic expressions) Assume we have a brain designed for learning and processing language Interactionist: The brain is organized and functions in a way that results in an ability to learn language associations Assume we can learn and use language because we have a large complicated brain

Nature vs Nurture

Natural and inherent part of being human OR Occurs because of nurturance and learning from the environment. Generative/Nativist OR Interactionist/Constructionism/Emergentism Nature: part of our biology -also called generative/nativitist Nurture: we are blank slates and get input from people, which is how we learn -also called interactionist/constructionist/emergentists

Major Theories of Language Development: Skinner's Behavior Theory

Operant Conditioning: "reinforced become strengthened, and behaviors that are punished become suppressed" In 1957, B.F. Skinner published Verbal Behavior, in which he assumed that learning language was similar to learning any other behavior. Nurture: whatever parents praised was the speech children developed, and whatever they punished or ignored was not learned--> conditioned to learn proper speech Positive reinforcement: if you do your homework, you can go to the mall Negative reinforcement: if you do your homework, you don't have to do the dishes Positive punishment: if you don't do your homework, you will be spanked Negative punishment: if you don't do your homework, you can't have your phone

Four distinctly defined stages of development:

Sensorimotor (0-2)- Infant experiences world through sensory and motor function. Benchmark- Object Permanence Preoperational (2-6)- Use of symbols to develop patterns of speech and thought Benchmark- Development of egocentricism Concrete Operational (7-12)- Child can conceptualize actions within a familiar context Benchmark: conversation with math and reasoning Formal Operational (12-adult)- Child can perform mental abstractions of events or actions that they have not experienced Benchmark: abstract concepts and moral reasoning

Interactionalist Approach con

Sociolinguists argued that language acquisition follows a model of child‐caregiver give‐and‐take in which the child learns to understand the rules of dialogue, not syntax or semantics. A parent's adapted way of speaking to a child is termed child directed speech (CDS). A central tenet is that language structure emerges from language use. After hearing a large number of constructions with similar forms, a child starts to see regularities in the input and begins to use some word‐specific constructions. Learn language through discourse and pragmatics The more you use language the more you develop it

Major Theories of Language Development: Vygotsky's Social Interaction Theory

Vygotsky's Social Interaction Theory Development relies upon cultural influence that cannot be separated from that culture. Specific mental processes can be attributed to social interaction Transformation of socially shared activities into internalized processes Zone of Proximal Development- able to understand and accomplish some things on their own, they will still need the guidance of more advanced individuals to develop a stronger cognition and intellect -->zone from novice learner to advanced where learning is ideal for a novice--> with a baby you would go to their level of what is ideal for them to learn new content but is within their zone of development Nurture theory- development of language revolves around culture

Interactionalist Approach

argues that children learn linguistic knowledge from their environment (not by an LAD...but by): To learn language, children rely on general cognitive mechanisms. An assumption is that linguistic constructions are learned from the input. The child is considered a contributing member in the learning process. We have abilities of cognition different from other animals, basically we're smart and our brains enable us to pick up on speech

"Nurture-inspired:"

humans gain all knowledge through experience "Blank slate" Interactionist Constructionism Emergentism

"Nature-inspired:"

much of our knowledge is innate and genetically transmitted, rather than learned by experience Underlying language system is in place at birth Generative Approach Nativist Approach