103694503. Chelsea Smith. EDU10002. A2
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Linguistics
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Feb 20, 2024
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Student ID: 103694503
Chelsea Smith
EDU10002: Understanding Language and Literacy
Assignment 2: Essay
DUE: 30
th
August, 2021
Language in childhood includes the use of sounds and body language in order to communicate or for a child to express themselves or their needs. Once learnt, language is a simple concept to understand, but the acquisition of language is actually the opposite. The early years of life are the most crucial for developing language. The complexity of language develops as the child grows and matures. This essay will include the use of three different theories in order to understand possible explanations to how language is developed at such a young age (Hoff, 2009). The theories include the behaviourist, the nativist and the sociocultural theory.
One theory that can be used to understand children’s language development and acquisition is the behaviourist theory. The behaviourist theory is based on the idea that learning is shaped by what the child is surrounded by: environment and experience (Fellowes & Oakley, 2020). The behaviourist theory believes that learning language is met by imitating a more sufficient speaker, being positively reinforced and then practicing that particular sound, pattern or word to create habit formation (Elwood, 2012). Behaviourism is shaped upon the idea that a connection between an external stimulus and a response can generate language acquisition; it is the job of the adult to use reinforcements to create this response. By being able to create this response, it can build the grounds for learning. When the child is first making language attempts, positive reinforcement is crucial to ensure the language attempt is repeated. It is important to use the reinforcements until the child has made
a strong association, and the language is strong (Fellowes & Oakley, 2020). Positive reinforcement of language can be praising the child, using positive body language like smiling, showing excitement or successful effective communication from the child, understanding what the child said (Fellowes & Oakley, 2020). When a baby is learning their first words, the parents show excitement for simple sounds, which is one way of using positive reinforcement. When a baby makes a simple sound of ‘mm’, or ‘mmuhh’, they are likely trying to imitate their parents saying ‘mumma’. The adult shows excitement and repeats the word, ‘Mumma’. The baby has imitated the adult, been positively reinforced and exposed to repetition of the word which in turn will create a stronger connection between the sound and the word. During the age range of 2-5 years old, children are likely to create their own grammatically ‘incorrect’ sentences, which can be transformed through repetition
from a more knowledgeable other. The child may say, ‘My went to the zoo’, or ‘My want some more water’, where an adult can repeat the sentence ‘I went to the zoo’, ‘I
want some more water’, to encourage the child to imitate the correct language. The behaviourist theory is one way of explaining children’s language development. The Nativist theory is another theory used in language acquisition, which is opposite to the behaviourist theory in that it focuses on nature over nurture (Hoff, 2009). The Nativist theory is based around the idea that every baby that is born already has the ability to learn language, and their language will mature in a prearranged way (Hoff, 2009). When they are born, they already have the ability to understand the universal grammar; they already have the ability to generate grammar using nouns and verbs (Baby Sparks, 2019). The critical period for language learning is between birth and 8 years (Nativist Theory, n.d.), this is why it is the best time at a young age to learn different languages (Fellowes and Oakley, 2020). Noam Chomsky (1975), advocates
for this, explaining that this brain capacity called the ‘Language Acquisition Device’ (LAD) allows the ability to understand the grammatical rules. The nativist theory accounts for how children can acquire such complex language at a young age where
such difficult learning is not usual (Fellowes & Oakley). The Nativist theory becomes evident when children generate their own grammar into
sentences that they have not heard before; challenging the assumption of children repeating what they hear, mentioned in behaviourist theory (Kahnacademymedicine, 2013). From the age of 2-5, children speak in sentences and use an array of diverse words (
Community Child Care Co-operative Ltd, 2015); from around this age, children are able to adjust their grammar in order to meet those of adults. A child may say ‘Daddy coming to pick up today’, instead of when they previously may have said ‘Daddy pick up’. This can continue to advance into a fuller, more grammatically correct sentence as their language matures, such as a child five or older may say ‘My Daddy is coming to pick me up today!’. From over 5 years, the child is using much more mature sentences. According to the nativist theory, and through these examples, it becomes clear that a child is born with the ability to produce language. The last language acquisition theory for this essay is the Sociocultural or Interactionist theory. This theory is highly focused on interactions to gain language
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development. The social interactions between the child and the people in their environment are essential for language development. Interactions give the child a reason and desire to communicate (Hoff, 2009). Interactions are important to allow the more knowledgeable other (MKO) to scaffold and support language development. An MKO can help the child achieve the language that that was slightly too difficult to achieve on their own. Vygostky (1978) refers to the importance of the MKO in the zone of proximal development (ZPD). ZPD is the area between what the child already knows and can do on their own, and what they can do with the help of an MKO (Fellowes & Oakley, 2020). In this theory, child-directed speech (CDS) is important to acquire or advance a child’s speech, this is the speech directed at children to allow them to better understand what is being said. CDS uses shorter, more simple sentences, emphasising key words in the sentence. CDS is modified as
the child’s language advances (Fellowes & Oakley, 2020). Many children speak aloud to themselves (private speech) which aids in development as they are able to verbalise their planning or strategies (Kahnacademymedicine, 2013). The sociocultural theory is prominent in babies but can also be seen through childhood. From the age of 0-2, babies gain a desire to communicate with the significant people in their lives. Through interactions, they begin to understand turn taking; when to listen and when to speak. Babies are able to use eye contact as a basis for communication. At this age, babies use body language to communicate what they want, for example pointing to their drink bottle for water and making a noise. At this age when interacting with others, the baby begins to imitate sounds and their babbling begins to become more involved (Fellowes & Oakley, 2020). For children 5 years and older, a group interaction such as a yarning circle allows the children to listen and learn from others who may have a better understanding to them. This group interaction places children in a ZPD. The sociocultural language theory is highly focussed on interacting with others to gain stronger language development. Children’s language development can be understood by taking into account the behaviourist theory, the nativist theory and the sociocultural theory. The behaviourist theory focuses on the child’s environment and experience, the nativist theory focuses on the child’s natural ability to learn language and the sociocultural theory
focuses on social interactions to gain language development. All of these three theories of language development focus on a different concept of language acquisition and can help in explaining the overall idea of how children learn language
at such a young age.
References
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BabySparks. (2019). How do children learn language? https://babysparks.com/2019/09/05/how-do-children-learn-language/
Community Child Care Co-operative Ltd. (2015).
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Elwood, B. (2012, November 10).
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Fellowes, J., & Oakley, G. (2019).
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Hoff, E. (2009). Language Development (4
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John-Steiner, V., Panofsky, C. & Smith, L. (1994). Sociocultural approaches to language and literacy. Cambridge University Press. https://books.google.com.au/books?
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khanacademymedicine. (2013). Theories of language development: Nativist, learning, interactionist | MCAT | Khan Academy
[video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRGwdfQV8kU
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