Theories and Linguistic Diversity

Theories and Linguistic Diversity

Dr. Elisabeth A. Mlawski
CSD 6400 Child Language Development and Usage
Graduate Program in Speech – Language Pathology

Module Objectives

  • Describe five theoretical perspectives of language development.

  • Identify forms of language variation.

  • Explain the brain’s role in language development.

  • Explain the role of home, community, and school environments on language development.

  • Describe the factors influencing second language acquisition.

  • Explain the relationship between language and culture.

Five Theoretical Perspectives of Language Development

  1. Nativist

  2. Cognitive Developmental

  3. Behaviorist

  4. Sociocultural

  5. Interactive-Emergentist

Nativist Theory

  • Emphasis: Inborn or innate human capabilities.

  • Key Theorists:

    • Noam Chomsky

    • Introduced the concept of Universal Grammar, suggesting there is a set of grammatical principles inherent to all human languages.

    • Developed the theory of a Language Acquisition Device (LAD), a hypothetical brain mechanism responsible for language learning.

    • Steven Pinker

    • Proposed Hypothesis Testing, suggesting children test their language hypotheses as they learn.

  • Implications of Nativist Theory:

    • Provide opportunities to explore language and activate the LAD through:

    • Read-alouds and book sharing.

    • Opportunities for drawing and writing.

Cognitive Developmental Theory

  • Emphasis: Language acquisition is closely tied to cognitive development and maturation.

  • Key Theorist:

    • Jean Piaget

    • Proposed that language is acquired as maturation occurs and cognitive competencies develop.

  • Key Concepts:

    • Sensorimotor Stage: Birth to approximately 2 years; development of object permanence and symbolic representation.

    • Object Permanence: Understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen.

    • Symbolic Representation: Ability to use symbols (like words) to represent objects.

    • Schemata: Cognitive frameworks for organizing and interpreting information.

    • Preoperational Stage: 2 to 7 years; characterized by the development of language and imagination, but lacking in logic and understanding of conservation.

  • Implications of Cognitive Developmental Theory:

    • Educational activities should match the child’s stage of cognitive development, such as utilizing appropriate stimuli for the sensorimotor and preoperational stages.

Behaviorist Theory

  • Emphasis: Language learning is shaped through associations between stimuli and responses, reinforced by the outcomes following the response.

  • Key Theorist:

    • B.F. Skinner

    • Proposed that language is “taught” through imitative speech and reinforcement.

  • Implications of Behavioral Theory:

    • Focus on stimuli and reinforcements experienced by children involving language.

    • Techniques include:

    • Positive reinforcement: Rewards for correct responses.

    • Repetition and imitation to enhance learning.

Sociocultural Theory

  • Emphasis: The primary role of social and cultural interactions in language development, highlighting the importance of adults in communicating with children.

  • Key Theorists:

    • Lev Vygotsky

    • Introduced the concept of Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), the difference between what a learner can do without help and what they can do with help.

    • Jerome Bruner

    • Discussed Communicative Intent and Functions of language, focusing on the purposes language serves in interaction with others.

    • Brian Cambourne

    • Identified conditions that support language development, including the need for a rich linguistic environment.

  • Implications of Sociocultural Theory:

    • Provide language-rich environments that feature:

    • Social interactions involving oral and written language.

    • Positive emotional contexts to enhance motivation for communication.

Interactive-Emergentist Theory

  • Emphasis: Focus on the interaction of nature and nurture, with the child as an active learner of language.

  • Key Theorists:

    • Bloom and Tinker

    • Hollich, Hirsh-Pasek & Golinkoff

    • Tomasello

  • Implications of Interactive-Emergentist Perspective:

    • Encourage children to be actively engaged in social contexts where language is used.

    • Recognize the social-emotional components in the process of language learning.

Check Your Knowledge - Language Theories

  • Question: Which language theory do you identify most with?

Nativist Theory of Language Acquisition

  • Question: Which statement represents the nativist theory of language acquisition?

    • a) Language is acquired through maturation and cognitive development.

    • b) All people can learn language due to inherent, inborn cognitive structures.

    • c) Language is acquired through establishing associations between stimuli and reinforcements.

    • d) Language is acquired through social interaction with others.

Interactive-Emergentist Perspective

  • Question: Which of the following statements represents the interactive-emergentist perspective?

    • a) Language must be specifically taught through formal instruction.

    • b) Language is acquired solely due to innate cognitive structures and processes.

    • c) Language is acquired through the interaction and contribution of both cognitive maturation and socio-cultural influences.

    • d) Language cannot be taught or influenced.

The Brain's Role in Language Development

  • Key Points:

    • The human brain appears to be ‘pre-wired’ for language.

    • Language development occurs as specific regions of the brain mature.

    • Social interaction is critical for language development.

Patterns of Interaction

  • Important Concepts:

    • Eye contact and shared reference.

    • Joint Attention/Joint Reference: A shared focus between a child and another individual.

    • Communication Loop: The dynamic pattern of exchange between speaker and listener.

    • Child-Directed Speech (CDS): Communicative style characterized by modifications in speech used by adults when talking to children.

  • Characteristics of Child-Directed Speech (CDS) - Pine (1994):

    • Utterances are short and well-formed.

    • Fewer false starts compared to adult conversation.

    • Less syntactically complex.

    • Higher pitch and exaggerated intonation.

    • Redundant or repetitive.

    • Slower rate or tempo.

    • Tied closely to the immediate context.

    • Features that encourage participation and clarify children's responses.

Check Your Knowledge - Interaction

  • Question: A pattern of sharing the roles of speaker and listener through turn-taking is referred to as:

    • a) Communication loop

    • b) Monologue

    • c) Verbal mapping

    • d) Child-directed speech

  • Question: A detailed oral description of an object or ongoing action is:

    • e) Motherese

    • f) Aphasia

    • g) Child-directed speech

    • h) Verbal mapping

  • Question: Which of the following characteristic of child-directed speech?

    • i) Fast tempo

    • j) Short, well-formed utterances

    • k) Lower pitch

    • l) Even, monotone intonation

Home, Community, and School Settings

  • Key Points:

    • Varied patterns of interaction and forms of language influenced by:

    • Social routines.

    • Culture and ethnicity.

    • Socioeconomic status.

Language Variation and Diversity

  • Categories:

    • Languages

    • Dialects

    • Registers

  • Resource: Watch the documentary series "Do You Speak American?" for further exploration.

Academic English Register

  • Description:

    • Formal standard English used in academic and occupational settings.

    • Used in specific contexts and for specific purposes in both oral and written forms.

When to Use an Academic English Register

  • Key Concepts:

    • Language competencies influence educational opportunities and achievements.

    • Having the right language skills benefits individuals when entering the workforce.

    • “Language of Power” conveys the societal value of mastering academic language.

Check Your Knowledge - Academic Language Coordination

  • Question: A dialect is:

    • a) A form of language prescribed in English grammar texts.

    • b) A specialized variation of a language.

    • c) A separate language.

    • d) A form of language used by a small group of people.

  • Question: Academic English register is characterized by:

    • e) Simple syntax

    • f) Short sentences

    • g) Words with simple morphological structure

    • h) More complex grammatical structures

  • Question: Children who can use more than one language, dialect, or register effectively in different settings will:

    • i) Be at a disadvantage

    • j) Be more successful in social interactions

    • k) Have a lower level of metalinguistic knowledge

    • l) Not be able to learn academic English

Second Language Acquisition

  • Types of Bilingualism:

    • Simultaneous bilingualism: Acquiring two languages at the same time from an early age.

    • Successive bilingualism: Learning a second language after the first language is well established.

    • Subtractive bilingualism: Loss of a first language when learning a second language.

  • Challenges Faced by Second Language Learners:

  • Learner characteristics

  • Linguistic input

  • Social setting

Benefits of Bilingualism

  • Higher levels of metalinguistic awareness.

  • Greater and earlier awareness of language structure.

  • Wider social and cultural perspectives.

  • Enhanced social skills related to diverse communicative contexts.

Check Your Knowledge - Second Language Learning

  • Question: When a speaker uses a mixture of two or more languages when communicating, this is an example of:

    • a) Subtractive bilingualism

    • b) Code mixing/switching

    • c) Successive bilingualism

    • d) Simultaneous bilingualism

  • Question: Comprehensible input is present when:

    • e) The target language is used at a level slightly higher than the learner’s current level.

    • f) The target language is used at the same level of complexity as the learner’s current level.

    • g) There is language interference.

    • h) The learner only listens and does not participate in communication loops.

  • Best Practices for SLPs:

    • Provide students with comprehensible input by:

    • Using pictures and objects along with the target language to focus on meaning.

    • Requiring participation from each student in discussions.

    • Organizing instruction around grammatical structures.

    • Using only on-grade level texts and materials.