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.