Language Acquisition Theories Flashcards

Language Acquisition Theories

• Behavioral Theory (Skinner): Language develops through reinforcement and imitation, with behaviors forming cues for subsequent actions, e.g., nouns leading to verbs.

• Nativist Theory (Chomsky): Proposes an innate Language Acquisition Device (LAD) that includes universal grammar principles; environmental input aids in developing syntactic structures.

• Social Interaction Theory (Vygotsky): Suggests language arises from social interactions; knowledgeable adults support children's language learning through guidance.

• Cognitive Theory (Piaget): Emphasizes the link between language and cognitive development; cognitive abilities are essential for language acquisition, with less reliance on environmental prompts.

• Pragmatic Theory (Bates): Focuses on children's social motivations for language; links preverbal behaviors (gestures, eye contact) to language skills, evolving from social interaction theory.

• Semantic-Cognitive Theory (Bloom): States language emerges from the expression of meaning related to environmental experiences; early language reflects children's interactions with things and actions.

• Usage-Based Theory (Tomasello): Highlights how children learn language by using cognitive skills to understand the relationship between spoken language and its meanings through observation and interaction.

• Emergentism/Guided Distributional Learning Theory (Bates & MacWhinney, Seidenberg & Elman): Proposes an interplay between innate cognitive abilities and external environmental experiences, emphasizing pattern recognition in language use.

• Environment: The external environment is crucial in providing information for children's language development, supported by theories from Bates, MacWhinney, Piaget, and Skinner.

• Cognition: Children derive concepts about meanings from their interactions with the environment, illustrating the connection between cognition and language acquisition.

Test your understanding of key language acquisition theories with these flashcards. Explore the Behavioral Theory by Skinner, which emphasizes reinforcement and imitation, and the Nativist Theory by Chomsky, highlighting the innate aspects of language learning. Enhance your knowledge of how children acquire language through different theoretical frameworks.