TLLA 2-3

STAGES OF LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT AND THEORIES OF FIRST LANGUAGE ACQUISITION (FLA)

INTRODUCTION

  • Presenter: Marissa L. Mayrena, PhD, Associate Professor

LESSON OBJECTIVES

  • Understand the stages of language development in children.

  • Explain the different theories that describe first language acquisition.

  • Describe the perspectives of the major theories of language acquisition.

  • Analyze the strengths and limitations of each theory.

  • Apply the stages and theories of language acquisition to real-life situations.

WHAT IS LANGUAGE ACQUISITION?

  • Definition: Language acquisition is the process by which humans acquire the capacity to perceive and comprehend language.

LANGUAGE LEARNING VS LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

Language Acquisition

Language Learning

Passive, subconscious process

Active, conscious process

Implicit knowledge

Explicit knowledge

Informal situation

Formal situation

Stable order of acquisition

Simple to complex order of learning

DEFINITION OF TERMS

  • First Language (L1): The first language a person learns usually in early childhood.

  • Second Language (L2): Any language learned after the first language, usually in a non-native context.

  • Foreign Language (FL): A language studied in a context where it is not commonly spoken.

  • Target Language (TL): The language that is the focus of learning or acquisition.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF CHILDREN'S LANGUAGE

  • Predictability: Language development follows a predictable sequence.

  • Imitation-based Learning: Children learn through imitating adults.

  • Creativity: Children can create new phrases and sentences.

STAGES OF LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

Stages Overview

  • Infancy (0–12 months): Pre-linguistic Stage

    • Typical skills observed: Cooing, babbling, gestures, turn-taking.

    • Support: Respond to sounds, engage in face-to-face play, name objects.

  • One-word (12–18/24 months): Holophrastic Stage

    • Typical skills: Single words, strong comprehension.

    • Support: Label objects, read picture books, offer choices.

  • Two-word (18–24 months):

    • Typical skills: Two-word phrases, telegraphic speech.

    • Support: Expand phrases, model slightly longer sentences.

  • Early multi-word (2–3 years): Telegraphic Stage

    • Typical skills: Simple grammar, longer sentences.

    • Support: Encourage play narratives, read daily, ask "what"/"why" questions.

  • Refinement (3–5+ years): Beyond Telegraphic

    • Typical skills: Complex sentences, storytelling, pragmatics.

    • Support: Engage in storytelling, play vocabulary games, link to early literacy.

PRE-LINGUISTIC STAGE

  • Pre-language Skills: Eye contact, gestures, facial expressions.

  • Stages of Vocal Development:

    • 0-1 month: Reflexive/uncontrolled vocalizations (crying, burping).

    • 2-3 months: Cooing with mostly vowel sounds.

    • 4-6 months: Squealing, growling, exploring new sounds.

    • 7-9 months: Canonical babbling.

    • 10-12 months: Variegated babbling; turning taking and joint attention emerges.

ONE-WORD OR HOLOPHRASTIC STAGE

  • Definition: One word can express a complete thought, depending on context and gestures.

  • Examples in a Filipino context:

    • “Gatas” = (I want milk / Give me milk)

    • “Kain” = (I’m hungry / Let’s eat)

    • “Aso” = (Look at the dog / The dog is here)

OVEREXTENSION IN THE HOLOPHRASTIC STAGE

  • Description: Children may use one word to refer to multiple objects or concepts, as they learn the categories of things and how words map to meaning.

  • Specific Example: Calling all animals “dog.”

TWO-WORD STAGE

  1. Age: 18-24 months.

  2. Characteristics: Use of content words, omitting function words.

  3. Syntax: Follows Subject-Verb-Object structure.

EARLY MULTI-WORD STAGE

  • Achievements:

    • Asking questions, giving commands, reporting real events, creating stories.

    • Correct word order and grammatical markers most of the time.

    • Usage in various social environments.

BEYOND TELEGRAPHIC STAGE (Adult-like Competence in Language, Age 4+)

  1. Grammar: Becomes more stable with proper order and simple grammatical structures.

    • Example: Transition from “Mommy go store” to “Mommy is going to the store.”

  2. Vocabulary Expansion: Increased vocabulary allows for:

    • Expressing more complex ideas, asking questions, narrating events, and sharing imaginative ideas.

EXPANDED VOCABULARY EXAMPLES

  • Previous single words like “Eat,” “Milk,” “Dog” expand to:

    • “I want to drink my milk.”

    • “The dog is running fast.”

    • “I feel happy because I play with my toy.”

STORYTELLING EXAMPLE

  • Sample Story: “We went to the beach. I saw the big water. I made a sandcastle. I found shells. I threw water with my brother. I was very happy.”

BEYOND TELEGRAPHIC STAGE (Continued)

  1. Phonological Awareness: Awareness of sounds in words, aiding clarity in speech and laying foundation for reading and writing.

  2. Deeper Understanding of Language (Semantics): Understanding of vocabulary, ideas, feelings, and concepts, such as “happy,” “fair,” or “pretend.”

THEORETICAL APPROACHES TO L1 ACQUISITION

  1. BEHAVIORISM: Language is acquired through imitation and reinforcement.

  2. INNATISM: Language learning is an inherent ability.

  3. INTERACTIONISM: Language develops through social interaction.

  4. CONNECTIVISM: Language learning occurs via pattern recognition.

BEHAVIORISM IN DETAIL

  • Key Theorists:

    • Ivan Pavlov: Founder of Classical Conditioning.

    • John B. Watson: Coined the term 'behaviorism'.

    • B.F. Skinner: Developed Radical Behaviorism; operant responses shape language behavior.

B.F. SKINNER'S BEHAVIORIST THEORY

  • Main Idea: Children learn language by imitating their caregivers and being reinforced by their environment.

  • Imitation: Children replicate sounds, words, sentences heard around them.

  • Repetition: Regularly practicing sounds solidifies them into habits.

  • Reinforcement: Positive feedback encourages proper usage, while lack of reinforcement discourages errors.

EXAMPLES OF BEHAVIORISM IN PRACTICE

  • Imitation with Positive Reinforcement: A mother in Manila encouraging the child to repeat “salamat.”

  • Learning Through Repetition: A father’s repeated question “Anong gusto mo?” leading to the child’s learned response “Gusto ko juice.”

  • Correction by Parents: A parent corrects “Dog runned” to “Dog ran.”

  • Social Greetings: Teaching children to greet elders enhances social language behavior and approval.

INNATIST THEORY (NOAM CHOMSKY)

  • Language Acquisition Device (LAD): Concept that suggests children have an innate knowledge of grammatical structures across languages.

  • Universal Grammar: Underlying structure that encompasses all languages.

  • Critical Period: A vital timeframe for first language acquisition.

  • Key Concepts: Children naturally grasp grammar rules through exposure.

  • Examples: A toddler using grammar without explicit teaching.

EXAMPLES OF INNATISM IN LANGUAGE LEARNING

  • Child acquiring Filipino without formal teaching begins to say, “Kain ako.” “Gusto gatas.”

  • Overgeneralization occurs when a child says “Nag-goed kami.”

INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE

  • Key Idea: Language acquisition occurs through social interactions with the environment.

  • Key Theorists:

    • Lev Vygotsky: Emphasized learning from knowledgeable peers.

    • Jerome Bruner: Introduced the Language Acquisition Support System (LASS).

  • Examples of LASS:

    • Parentese: Specialized speech adults use with infants.

    • Dialogic Reading: Interactive reading where both child and adult engage in storytelling.

    • Everyday Activities: Utilizing language in daily routines enhances learning.

PARENTHESE

  • Definition: Specialized speech with higher pitch, exaggerated intonation, and grammatically correct speech.

  • Benefits: Highlights words for engagement and promotes language production.

DIALOGIC READING

  • Definition: Engagement between adult and child during reading activities; encourages interaction rather than passive listening.

  • Example: Asking questions about the story makes the child a participant.

CONNECTIONIST PERSPECTIVE

  • Overview: Focuses on how brain patterns and associations facilitate language processing.

  • Building Connections: Children learn to connect words with meanings through exposure.

CONNECTIONISM IN LANGUAGE LEARNING EXAMPLE

  • A child learns the word “aso” through repeated association with dogs; begins combining words.

COMPARING THE THEORIES

Theory

Key Idea

Behaviorist

Language is learned through imitation and reinforcement

Innatist

Humans are biologically programmed for language

Interactionist

Language develops through social interaction

Connectionist

Language learning happens through pattern recognition

REFERENCES

  • Books:

    • Piaget, J. (1953). The origins of intelligence in children. International Universities Press.

    • Donaldson, M. (1978). Children’s minds. Fontana/Collins.

    • McLaughlin, B. (1983). Second language learning: An information-processing perspective. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

  • Articles:

    • Dasen, P. (1994). Culture and cognitive development from a Piagetian perspective. 1