Child Language Theorists- The Big 4

English Language

What is Skinner’s Behaviourism Theory?

Skinner proposed the theory that all behaviour is a result of the conditioning we have experienced rather than any freedom of choice.

He also proposed that children learn through imitation and introduced the concept of operant conditioning, which he then linked to positive and negative reinforcement.

Operant Conditioning

The idea that either a positive and negative response given by a caregiver can influence the way in which a child talks on future occasions.

Positive Reinforcement

The positive feedback given to a child which is thought to encourage similar performance again.

Negative Reinforcement

The lack o feedback, correction or negative feedback that might prevent a child from making the same error repeatedly.

What is Chomsky’s Nativism Theory?

Chomsky provided a response to Skinner’s theories which took an opposing view. He introduced the LAD (language acquisition device), which argued that the human brain has a naturally programmed ability to learn language, an ability to work out the systems in terms of grammar and syntax.

LAD (Language Acquisition Device)

Proposed by Chomsky that all humans are born with an innate language learning capacity.

Tabula Rasa

Latin for ‘blank slate’ and the term used to describe the idea that children are born with undeveloped, fresh brains.

Universal Grammar

Term coined by Chomsky- the notion that all human languages possess similar grammatical properties which the brain is ‘hard wired’ to be able to decode and use.

Virtuous Errors

Grammatical errors that are understandable and logical through an incorrect assumption being made about grammar rules.

What are Piaget’s stages of cognitive development?

Suggested that are the core of a child’s development of understanding is the learning that a child undertakes.

Children would not develop until particular stages of cognitive development had been reached.

What is Piaget’s 1st stage?

Sensorimotor stage (0-2 years old)

-Interacts with their environment

-Remains egocentric

-Object permanence appears

What is Piaget’s 2nd stage?

Pre-operational stage (2-6/7 old)

-Child learns to speak and develop their imaginative focus

-Begin to question frequently

-Try to develop an understanding of things

What is Piaget’s 3rd stage?

Concrete operational stage (6/7-11/12 old)

-Stops being egocentric

-Begin to understand the points of view of others

-Become more capable of logical thought

What is Piaget’s 4th stage?

Formal operational stage (11-16+)

-No problem with logical thought

-Thinking becomes increasingly abstract

What is Bruner interactionism theory?

Bruner rejected Chomsky’s LAD and focused his research on the importance of a child’s interaction with caregivers as the key to language development.

He suggested the importance of the Language Acquisition Support System (LASS)

What is the LASS?

Refers to the caregivers and other important participants within a child’s life, and how it helps them to develop through interaction.

Bruner also suggested encouraging a child through the use of scaffolding, which enables children to gradually develop their speech.

What is Cognitive Development?

A child’s development of thinking and understanding.

What is the Language Acquisition Support System?

System proposed by Bruner, and implies that the caregivers play a key role in a child’s language development.

What is scaffolding?

The support system provided by caregivers through modelling how speech ought to take place, in order to help the child’s language development.

Proposed by Vygotsky and supported by Bruner.

What is egocentric?

Thinking only of themselves, without understanding or regard for the feelings of others.

What is object permanence?

An understanding that objects continue to exist even when they can’t be seen or touched.