CSd 321 - Unit 1: Foundations of Language & Language Acquisition

behaviorist theory (BF Skinner)

language learned through imitation, reinforcement, and conditioning

criticism of behaviorist theory

doesn’t explain novel language use or innate abilities

nativist theory (Noam Chomsky)

humans are born with an innate language acquisition device (LAD); supports universal grammar shared across languages

criticism of nativist theory

doesn’t account for environmental or social interaction

social interactionist theory (Lev Vygotsky)

language develops through interaction and scaffolding by caregivers; emphasizes social context and responsive communication

cognitive theory (Jean Piaget)

language development is linked to 4 age-based cognitive stages

criticism of cognitive theory

fails to explain language learning in children with cognitive impairments

4 stages of cognitive theory

1. sensorimotor (0-2 yrs)

2. preoperational (2-7 yrs)

3. concrete operational (7-11 yrs)

4. formal operational (12+ yrs)

usage-based theory (Michael Tomasello)

language develops through experience, pattern recognition and real-world interactions; emphasizes the frequency of exposure and general cognitive processes

emergentist theory (Brian MacWhinney)

language emerges from interactions between biological, cognitive and environmental factors; combines neural networks and experience-based learning

nature vs. nurture

nativist (nature) & behaviorist & social interactionist (nurture)

social input

social interactionist & usage-based emphasize caregiver input

5 communication subdomains

1. early pragmatic skills

2. vocabulary development

3. early word combinations

4. morphosyntax development

5. advanced pragmatic and discourse skills

early pragmatic skills, skills

joint attention, turn-taking, maintaining topics

early pragmatic skills, development

prelinguistic communication starting at 8-15 months

early pragmatic skills, concerns

reduced joint attention and interruptions in conversational flow

early pragmatic skills, clinical implications

underlie all later communication, this is the first aspect of communication that’s considered during observational process

alexithymia (SD1)

difficulty identifying and expressing emotions

theory of mind (SD1)

understanding others' mental states

social cognition (SD1)

mental processes for understanding social interactions

vocab development, skills

understanding and using words

vocab development, development

vocab explosion between 1-3 years

vocab development, concerns

slower vocab growth, difficultly mapping new words

vocab development, clinical implications

integrate new word meaning with familiar words, provide repeated, meaningful and contextual opportunities to learn new words, provide explicit and implicit learning opportunities

processing (SD2)

speed and efficiency of interpreting language input

executive functions (SD2)

cognitive skills that manage thoughts, actions, emotions

lexical competition (SD2)

difficulty retrieving words due to competing meanings

fast mapping (SD2)

quick association between words and meanings

early word combinations, skills

combining words into 2-word phrases

early word combinations, development

begins after acquiring 50+ single words, typically by 24-36 months

early word combinations, concerns

failure to combine words despite sufficient vocab

early word combinations, clinical implications

caregivers/parents can be trained to facilitate the above semantic combinations in social and play routines to help the child begin to make early word combos

morphosyntax development, skills

using grammatical forms like “ing” or plural “s”

morphosyntax development, development

appears by 24-36 months, complex syntax by 5 years

morphosyntax development, concerns

limited morpheme usage and grammar errors

morphosyntax development, clinical implications

children with errors in this domain have a reduced number of morphemes than their same aged peers, have limited ability to manipulate morphemes

brown’s stages (SD4)

once an individual demonstrates the ability to use foundational pragmatic functions and produces multi-word combinations using a variety of semantic categories, practitioners typically evaluate a speaker’s use of morphosyntax

advanced pragmatic & discourse skills, skills

sarcasm, reasoning and producing narratives

advanced pragmatic & discourse skills, development

emerges during school years and adolescence

advanced pragmatic & discourse skills, concerns

difficulty adapting language to context and understanding jokes

advanced pragmatic & discourse skills, clinical implications

• difficulty in the class gaining access to social activities

• participating effectively in groups

• responding to others’ comments by validating their opinions

• sustaining cooperative group communication

• negotiating differences of opinion

• offering contradicting options

• responding appropriately to teacher/peer feedback

classroom discourse (SD5)

characterized by the teacher’s initiation of a question, the teacher’s evaluation of the student’s verbal contribution, and the teacher’s control of the conversational topic

oral narrative (SD5)

a verbal retelling of past experiences or telling of “what happened”

expository narrative (SD5)

an informational genre, describe a scientific experience or summarize a historical event

language development trajectory

• Birth–1 Year: Prelinguistic communication (babbling, gestures, vocalization)

• 1–3 Years: Vocabulary growth, two-word phrases, early syntax.

• 3–5 Years: Complex sentence structures, storytelling.

• 6–12 Years: Literacy and academic language.

• Adolescence: Abstract language, figurative speech.

late talkers

delayed expressive language but typical comprehension & social interaction

language disorders

persistent deficits in both receptive/expressive language, need tailored interventions

the role of executive functions

cognitive skills are like working memory and attention aid in organizing language

30 million word gap findings

• children in high-income families heard 45 million words by age 3

• children in low-income families heard 13 million

• correlations between word exposure, vocab development and academic outcomes

criticisms of the 30 million word gap

• small sample size (42 families)

• cultural bias and oversimplification of SES categories

• overemphasis on word quantity rather than quality of interactions

alternative perspectives of the 30 million word gap

• sociocultural models focus on storytelling and conversational turn-taking

• dynamic systems view highlights diverse linguistic practices

how could the concept of conversational turn-taking challenge the emphasis on word quantity in the 30 million word gap?

• it highlights the importance of interactive, responsive communication over word count

• emphasizes that quality interactions where children actively participate in dialogue may be more beneficial for language development

implications for interventions of the 30 million word gap

• programs like “30 million words initiative” emphasize increasing parent-child interactions

• focus on equity and strengths-based approaches to avoid deficit narratives

the speech chain

represents the communication process from the speaker’s production of language to the listener’s understanding; 3 parts - form, content, use

form

the structural aspects of language, encompassing phonology, morphology, and syntax

phonology

rules for sounds in language, including how sounds are produced and combined into syllables and words

morphology

rules for forming words using morphemes

syntax

rules for arranging words into sentences

the role of “form” in the speech chain

• at the speaker level, form governs how sounds, words, and sentences are structured for clear articulation

• at the listener level, form ensures proper decoding of the structure of speech to extract meaning

disorders related to form

• difficulty pronouncing sounds (phonological errors)

• limited use of morphemes

• problems forming grammatically correct sentences (syntax deficits)

content

the meaning conveyed by language, including vocab and semantics

semantics

the study of meaning in words and sentences

the role of “content” in the speech chain

• at the speaker level, content ensures that the correct vocab and word combinations are chosen to express meaning

• at the listener level, content allows for comprehension of the intended message and interpretation of word meanings

disorders related to content

• limited vocab (struggling to learn new words)

• difficulty understanding multiple meanings of a word (semantic confusion)

• trouble combining words meaningfully

use

the social aspect of language, encompassing pragmatics (rules for using language in context)

pragmatics

rules for when and how to use language appropriately in social interactions

the role of “use” in the speech chain

• at the speaker level, use involves selecting appropriate language for the context, maintaining conversational norms, and adjusting communication based on the listener

• at the listener level, use involves interpreting social cues and understanding implied meanings

disorders related to use

• difficulty with conversational turn-taking or staying on topic

• misinterpreting sarcasm, jokes, or non-verbal cues

• challenges in adapting language to different social contexts

clinical implications for components in the speech chain

identifying deficits in one or more of form, content, and use helps tailor interventions

clinical implications for form

focus on grammar exercises or phonological awareness activities

clinical implications for content

work on expanding vocab and semantic networks

clinical implications for use

teach pragmatic skills through role-playing and social interaction practice