The Science and Theory of Language Development

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture notes on theory, science, EBP, research approaches, and major language development theories.

Theory

Descriptive statements or principles devised to explain a group of facts or phenomena; a claim or hypothesis that can be tested by scientific methods; when evidence supports it, it becomes part of the knowledge base.

Science

Process of generating and testing theories; goal is to build cumulative knowledge by refining, expanding, and occasionally replacing theoretical understanding.

Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)

Integrating theoretical knowledge with scientific inquiry to inform decision making; foundation for applying research to practice and understanding why certain practices are used or avoided.

Basic Research

Research aimed at advancing understanding of development and learning; tests, develops, and defines theories about language development (e.g., word meanings, order of grammar, age of sounds).

Applied Research

Research aimed at solving practical problems and addressing societal needs; identifies at-risk individuals and develops remediation for delays or disorders.

Applied Research Contexts

Homes, clinics, and schools where researchers test practices and approaches to language development in real-world settings.

Applied Research Contexts: Clinics

Clinics where clinicians' approaches are tested with specific populations to evaluate effectiveness.

Applied Research Contexts: Schools

Schools where educators' classroom approaches to language development are evaluated.

Normative Research

Studies that compile data from many individuals to chart typical ages or milestones in language development.

MacArthur‑Bates Communicative Development Inventory

Normative instrument assessing how many words toddlers understand and produce at various ages.

Observational Method

Research method in which language is observed in naturalistic or semi-structured contexts without manipulating variables.

Experimental Method

Research method in which variables are actively manipulated in a lab with strict protocols.

Language Production

Study of children's expressive language abilities and milestones in producing words and structures.

Language Production Milestones

Normative milestones for language production, e.g., vocabulary and consonant development; often summarized in norms.

Speech Perception

Study of infants' ability to perceive and differentiate speech; includes prenatal perception and segmenting words from speech stream.

Saffran et al. (1996)

Found that 8-month-olds can segment words from a continuous speech stream, revealing early word learning abilities.

Non-nutritive Sucking Procedure

Infant research method using pacifier-sucking to measure preference for sounds; shows infants can distinguish native from foreign language.

Language Comprehension

Study of what children understand receptively; pre-linguistic measures include visual fixation; older children use pointing to indicate understanding.

Major Approaches to Language Development

Three aspects studied: speech perception, language production, and language comprehension.

Continuum of Language Development Theories

Nurture — Interactionist — Nature; theories range from environment-driven to innate mechanisms, with interactionist theories in the middle.

Nurture-Inspired Theories (Behaviorist)

Language learned through environment and reinforcement; Skinner’s operant conditioning; language viewed as a behavior.

Universal Grammar (UG)

Innate set of grammatical rules presumed to be common to all languages; language acquisition relies on an innate language module; distinguishes competence from performance.

Social-Interactionist Theory

Vygotsky’s view that language development is driven by social interaction; concepts learned in social context and internalized; ZPD is central.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

Difference between a child’s actual development level and potential development when solving problems with guidance; crucial for language learning and treatment.

Linguistic Competence vs Performance

Competence is knowledge of language; performance is actual use in real situations; errors reflect performance limits, not lack of competence.

Interactionist Continuum

Emphasizes that language development is influenced by both nature and nurture, recognizing contributions from multiple theories.