7.4 Bruner: Interactionist Perspective & LASS

Bruner: Interactionist Perspective & LASS

What does Bruner argue about language development?

It requires both cognition (Piaget) & social interaction (Vygotsky).

What is LASS?

Language Acquisition Support System: social system adults provide to help children learn language.

What does LASS regulate?

Social routines that guide language use & learning.

What are the 4 minimal mental equipment elements for language? (BRUNER)

• Biological predispositions

• Adult modelling

• Game formats

• Routine environments

Why are routines important?

• They create predictable patterns that help children understand & generalize language.

What is shared attention?

• Adult & child focus on the same object/event, enabling meaningful interactions.

Why are games important (Bruner)?

They create structured formats that support language acquisition.

Does Bruner accept an innate basis for language?

Yes, but adds that social scaffolding is also necessary.

Bruner's view on communication?

Communication exists before language; language builds on intentional interactions.

Relation between LASS and LAD?

LAD = inner mechanism
LASS = external support system needed to activate LAD