Psych Exam Review - Language Acquisition

Critical Period for Language Acquisition

• Age Limit: Prior to age 7 critical for full linguistic fluency in any language.
• Role of Environment: Genetic predisposition alone isn’t enough; the right environment is crucial.

Interactionist Approach to Language Acquisition

• Recognizes both genetic predisposition and important role of social environment.
• Development Process:
  • Children do not develop language by only passive listening.
  • Active involvement of adults and peers is necessary.
  • Learning involves interactions, not just vocabulary or syntax.

Jerome Bruner’s Language Acquisition Support System

• Contrasted with Noam Chomsky’s Language Acquisition Device (genetic predisposition).
• Elements of Support System:
  • Directing attention, asking questions, labeling objects.
  • Providing feedback when errors occur.
  • Scaffolding: Helps detailed language development.

Adjusted Adult Speech (Motherese/Caregiver Talk)

• Adults modify speech when talking to children.
• Common across different languages.
• Helps children understand and develop language skills.

Case Study: Deaf School in Managua, Nicaragua (mid-1980s)

• Background:
  • New deaf school aimed to teach children formal sign language.
  • Children initially had basic gestures without complex language.
• Outcome:
  • Children created their own sign language.
  • Language gained full grammatical complexity and syntactical rules.
• Insights from Case Study:
  • Social environment pivotal for language development.
  • Emergent language didn’t develop in isolation; interaction is key.
  • Critical period evidence: children under 7 developed full fluency; older children did not.