Flashcards for:
Language Development Theories

Noam Chomsky proposed the concept of a Language Acquisition Device (LAD), which is an innate mechanism or process that facilitates the learning of language.

The Learning Theory struggles to account for children's ability to produce sentences they have never heard before, indicating an understanding of grammar beyond mere imitation.

The Learning Theory explains language development through reinforcement. Children learn language by receiving positive reinforcement such as smiles or hugs when they make sounds resembling words.

In the Learning Theory, reinforcement serves as a motivator for children to repeat and eventually learn language by rewarding them for sounds that are recognized as words.

After the critical period, the Language Acquisition Device (LAD) becomes less flexible, making it harder for the brain to acquire new languages, though not impossible.

Babies can identify words, breaks between words, and grammatical rules naturally through exposure and interaction, demonstrating innate and social learning capabilities.

Each theory highlights different aspects; the Nativist theory points to innate abilities, the Learning Theory emphasizes reinforcement, and the Interactionist Theory focuses on social interaction, collectively enriching our understanding.

Universal grammar refers to the concept that all languages share a common structural basis, such as the presence of nouns and verbs, which is innate to all humans.

The Nativist theory suggests innate biological mechanisms (LAD), the Learning Theory focuses on reinforcement and imitation, while the Interactionist Theory emphasizes a blend of social interaction and biological factors.

One limitation of the Learning Theory is that it does not fully explain how children can produce novel words or sentences that they have never heard before.

The Interactionist approach emphasizes the role of social interaction and the interplay between biological and social factors in language development.

According to Interactionist theory, the desire to communicate with others is what motivates language learning in children.

Vygotsky is associated with the Interactionist approach, and he emphasized the importance of social interaction in the development of language.

The critical period, according to the Nativist theory, is from birth until age 8-9. It is considered the optimal time for language learning because the LAD operates most effectively during this period.

The Nativist perspective asserts that children are born with an innate ability to learn language, and this is facilitated by an inherent Language Acquisition Device (LAD) in the brain.