2 GENERAL THEORIES ABOUT LA

Language Acquisition

The process by which individuals learn their native language (first language) and subsequent languages (second language).

Caretaker Speech

A modified form of speech used by adults when communicating with infants, characterized by simplified vocabulary, exaggerated intonation, and slower tempo.

Single-word Stage

A phase of language development (typically 12-18 months) where children use single words to represent whole ideas or requests.

Holophrastic Stage

Another term for the single-word stage of language acquisition.

Telegraphic Stage

A stage in language development where children produce simple phrases that consist mostly of content words.

Morpheme

The smallest grammatical unit in a language that carries meaning.

Overgeneralization

A phenomenon in language acquisition where children apply regular grammatical rules to irregular forms, such as saying 'foots' instead of 'feet'.

Generative Grammar

Noam Chomsky's theory stating that humans have innate knowledge of grammatical rules that enable them to produce and understand language.

Input Hypothesis

Stephen Krashen's theory that acquisition occurs when learners are exposed to language input that is slightly beyond their current level of competence.

Affective Filter Hypothesis

Krashen's concept that emotional factors can act as a barrier to language acquisition.

Interlanguage

The transitional linguistic system that learners create as they move towards mastering a target language.

Contrastive Analysis

A method for predicting and preventing learner errors by comparing the learner's native language to the target language.

Error Analysis

An approach that identifies and categorizes errors in language learning, focusing on the learner's performance.

Constructivism

An educational theory emphasizing that learners construct knowledge through experiences and social interactions.

Zone of Proximal Development

Vygotsky's concept that describes the difference between what a learner can do without help and what they can achieve with guidance.

Scaffolding

A teaching method that provides support to students as they develop new skills, gradually removing assistance as learners become more independent.

Communicative Competence

The ability to use language correctly in a social context, encompassing grammatical accuracy, sociolinguistic knowledge, and discourse competence.

Behaviorism

A theory of learning that focuses on observable behaviors and the ways they are influenced by external stimuli and reinforcement.

Cognitive Development

The process by which individuals acquire and construct knowledge about the world, as described by theorists like Piaget, Bruner, and Vygotsky.