Module 3 -Language
Theories
Module 3 Objectives
● Describe the two main theoretical positions
● Differentiate the main learning theories
Why study language
development anyway?
● Understanding language development helps us
understand HUMAN development
● Understanding language helps us understand our
behavior
● Studying language development help us
understand cognitive development
● Understanding normal language development
helps us understand disordered or delays in
language.
“Why” & “How” with
language development
● Acquisition - Linguistic Theories (or
theoretical positions) - “why”
● Learning Theories - “how”
● Different professionals view language
development differently from one another
Two Main Theoretical
Approaches
“Why” are we able to learn
language?
Nature versus Nurture
● Nature view - Generative/Nativist
● Nurture view - Interactionist
Nature
Nativists stress the idea that language is innate or
biologically based.
Nativists argue that all humans have a capacity
for language needing only minimal assistance
from the environment.
Chomsky
Nativist or Generative
Approach
● Noam Chomsky (1960-70’s) challenged the previous
thinking, he said:
● Parents provide poor models
● Children cannot possibly learn all rules by imitation alone
● Parents do not reinforce grammatical structure
● Children are born with innate rules or principles that help
them learn language = be believed children are
“preprogrammed”
● Believed learning language is more biological in nature
Nativist continued
Language Acquisition Device (LAD):
neurophysiological entity filled with language
knowledge
● All languages have a grammatical system -
universal grammar rule
● LAD disappears later in childhood, critical
period birth to 8 years.
● Chomsky video:https
://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fW_8bDGdX0
Behavioral Learning
Theory
● B.F. Skinner - psychologist & behavioralist
● We react to our environment
● People learn two things: “Consequences” for behaviors
● Avoid negative
● Strive for positive
● Parents model language for a child, who then will then
imitate
● Video example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvVaTy8mQrg
Behavioralist Theory - cont.
● Patterns - children naturally seek out patterns,
language is a pattern
● Learn by imitation, reinforcements from
parents
● Child Directed Speech - a parent’s adapted
way of speaking to a child
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nksOsCmYX
h4
Interactionist Approach
● Combination of biological and environmental processes factors when
learning language = Language is a “learned behavior”
Children learn grammar a little at a time and also accumulate
vocabulary as they age.
Growth occurs through meaningful interactions between the child and
those who communicate with he/her in everyday interactions.
Children have an active role in their language learning process.
3 view points: semantic, cognitive, and social interactionist
Learning Theories
- “how” children learn language
● Semantic Learning Theory - Fillmore
● Cognitive Learning Theory - Piaget
● Social Learning Theory - Vygotsky
● Disagreement occur due to: cognitive,
emotional, and environmental differences in
belief
Semantic Learning Theory:
Fillmore
Semantic Revolution
Focus shifted from the structure of language conveyed by grammar to
the meaning that child convey through grammar as they learn.
Language must generate meaning and structure.
Developed case grammar: a theory to account for the generation of
semantic relationships which underlie and provide a foundation for
structure.
Cognitive Learning
Theory
● Jean Piaget - biologist/psychologist who believed we
“actively” assimilate and accommodate based on our
environment
● Don’t just “respond” to stimuli, instead process the
information
● Learning is a change in knowledge, not just behavior
● Cognitive development BEFORE social language learning
● “Active Role” -children are active learners, taking information
within our environment and from social opportunities to
shape language
Cognitive Learning
Theory
● Prior knowledge plays an important role in learning new
information
● Believe development occurs in stages
● Information Processing Theory:
● Attend to new information
● Discriminate new information
● Organize and store that information
● Memory
Social Learning Theory
● Lev Vygotsky - psychologist/educator
● Belief that all language learning comes from social
context during interactions
● Social interaction and adult conversations play an
important role in language development
● Believe cognitive development can only happen AFTER
social language learning or interaction has occurred
● 1st year of life is critical to language development
Social Learning Theory
● Believe speech and language are “tools” used for a
child to interact socially within his environment
● Zone of proximal development - (ZPD) describes the
area of learning to what the learner already knows,
with the help of another.
● We are able to learn new things by being challenged
● Video:https
://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pQLWB3bhRU&featu
re=youtu.be
Zone of Proximal
Development
Speech Act Theory
Focuses on pragmatics of language
More than producing words/utterances organized by conventional
language; speaker is using these words to get things done
Consists of 3 separate acts
Locutionary act: the expression of the words
Illocutionary act: the motive or purpose underlying an utterance
Indirect speech act reminds us of the illocutionary act, but is serving more as a
request.
Perlocutionary act: the listener’s perspective of the message
Comparing Theories
Video comparison:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pjEqRpJXcw
Additional Chomsky video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a9zwF3xW9I
Key theories: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr_hK2Owq8o
PROJECT TIME
8-10 minute group presentation
A brief recap of the theory, pros and cons (or theoretical weaknesses
and strengthens) related to the language theory, and any helpful
information that you may want to share regarding your assigned
theory.
An educational handout should include key points and helpful
information.
Additionally, everyone in the group should have a portion to verbally
present.
