CSDS 285 Chapter 6 Part 1

Chapter Six: Language Learning and Teaching Processes

Objectives

• Explore the relationship between comprehension, production, and cognition

• Discuss hindering factors of language and cognition, including selective imitation and formulaic expressions

• Cover universal language learning principles, characteristics of parenting, types of parental prompting, and effects of expansion, extinction, and imitation

• Discuss parental turnabout and its interconnection with other concepts

• Examine the importance of play and cultural variations in language learning

Comprehension, Production, and Cognitive Growth

• Language is intricately linked to cognitive skills, particularly during early word learning.

• Critical cognitive skills include:

  • Selective attention to adult speech

  • Differentiation of stimuli

  • Working and long-term memory

  • Categorization of stimuli (e.g., classifying objects)

Examples and Developmental Milestones

• Children classify objects into categories early, such as identifying animals.

• Distinction between preschoolers and kindergartners:

  • Preschoolers: rely on event-based knowledge

  • Kindergartners: utilize categorical script groupings (e.g., types of animals, food categories)

• Example of categorization: Identifying kiwi as a fruit after exposure to similar foods.

Language Acquisition: Comprehension vs. Production

• Comprehension precedes production in language acquisition.

• Typical development:

  • Children understand around 50 words before they can produce 10 words.

• Comprehension is context-dependent, e.g., farm-raised children understand different vocabulary than urban-raised children.

Factors Influencing Comprehension

• Toddlers use semantic relations and object routines for comprehension.

• Verb comprehension develops gradually, moving from general to specific verbs.

• By ages 5-6, reliance shifts to syntactic and morphological interpretations:

  • Syntax: Sentence structure

  • Morphology: Word structure and organization

  • Children may use language to learn new words (e.g., looking up definitions).

Word Understanding and Usage

• Distribution of words understood and spoken by children:

  • 39% of understood words are nouns

  • 50% of spoken words are nouns

  • General nominal nouns account for 17% of understood and 11% of spoken specific nouns.

• Nouns are more frequent in language acquisition because they refer to tangible objects that children can see and experience.

Child Learning Strategies

• Variability exists in language learning approaches among children.

• Recognizing sounds and phonetic patterns precedes word recognition.

• Clustering: Understanding phonetic probability is vital for word comprehension (e.g., distinguishing "br" vs. "str").

• Parents subconsciously modify speech to highlight language structure—this aligns with the practice of bracketing.

Expressive Strategies

• Evocative Utterances: Statements made by children to elicit feedback from adults:

  • Feedback can confirm or correct a child's understanding, influencing word meaning retention or modification.

  • Example: Child incorrectly identifies a marker as a fish, learns the correct term through adult clarification.

• Hypothesis Testing and Interrogative Utterances: Children ask questions (often with rising intonation) to confirm word meanings, influencing vocabulary development.

  • Positive correlation exists between interrogative utterances used and vocabulary size at 24 months.

Importance of Vocabulary Development

• Vocabulary is a strong predictor of success in expressive and receptive language, as well as academic performance.

• Vocabulary growth is significantly affected by early language experiences at home.

Imitation in Language Acquisition

• Selective Imitation: Involves partial or whole repetition of another speaker's utterance, crucial for vocabulary growth and transitioning to multi-word phrases.

• Imitation typically occurs during daily routines, promoting language development.

Conclusion

• Understanding these components of language learning provides insights into how children acquire and use language in various contexts.

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More detailed

Chapter Six: Language Learning and Teaching Processes

Objectives

• Explore the intricate relationship between language comprehension, production, and cognitive development.

• Discuss various factors that hinder language acquisition and cognition, such as selective imitation and the use of formulaic expressions.

• Cover universal principles of language learning, including parental characteristics, types of prompting, and the effects of different interaction techniques, such as expansion, extinction, and imitation.

• Discuss the concept of parental turnabout and its connection to broader child development theories.

• Examine the critical role of play and cultural variations in shaping language learning experiences.

Comprehension, Production, and Cognitive Growth

Language is fundamentally connected to cognitive skills, especially during the critical period of early word learning. Understanding these links can aid in fostering better educational practices.

Critical Cognitive Skills include:

• Selective Attention: The ability to focus on relevant adult speech amidst distractions is crucial for language acquisition.

• Differentiation of Stimuli: Children must learn to distinguish between different sounds, words, and meanings to develop language.

• Memory Development: Both working memory (short-term information retention) and long-term memory (storage of vocabulary and grammar patterns) are vital for language learning.

• Categorization: The capacity to classify stimuli, such as identifying and grouping objects, helps children make sense of their environment and develop language skills effectively.

Examples and Developmental Milestones

Children begin to classify objects and concepts early in life, which is fundamental in language development. For example:

• By age 2, children can identify basic categories, such as common animals or everyday objects.

• Preschoolers vs. Kindergartners:

  • Preschoolers typically rely on event-based knowledge—they recall experiences to understand language.

  • Kindergartners leverage categorical script groupings (e.g., understanding that all animals are not the same but belong to different categories).

• Example of categorization: A child may learn to identify kiwi as a fruit after being exposed to various fruits in a playful context, enhancing their vocabulary and understanding.

Language Acquisition: Comprehension vs. Production

Research shows that comprehension generally precedes production in language development. The typical developmental process includes:

• Children often understand approximately 50 words before they start to produce about 10 words clearly.

• Comprehension is highly context-dependent; for instance, a child raised in a rural environment may understand agricultural vocabulary better than their urban-raised peers who may have a different set of experiences.

Factors Influencing Comprehension

• Semantic Relations: By around 2 years old, toddlers begin employing semantic relations and object routines to enhance their comprehension abilities.

• Development of Verb Comprehension: The understanding of verbs evolves from general to more specific uses over time.

• By ages 5-6: Children's comprehension shifts towards more sophisticated linguistic interpretations involving:

  • Syntax: Understanding of sentence structures.

  • Morphology: Grasping the structure and organization of words.

• Additionally, children may use language-learning strategies, such as looking up word definitions, to expand their vocabulary.

Word Understanding and Usage

The distribution of understood and spoken words highlights children's language acquisition:

• Nouns: Represent 39% of understood words and 50% of spoken words among children, indicating a strong preference for naming tangible objects they can see and experience.

• General nominal nouns account for 17% of understood and 11% of spoken specific nouns, emphasizing nouns' importance in early vocabulary.

Child Learning Strategies

Children exhibit variability in their approach to language learning:

• Sound Recognition: Recognizing sounds and phonetic patterns forms the foundation for effective word recognition.

• Clustering: Understanding phonetic probability is crucial for distinguishing word sounds (e.g., recognizing "br" vs. "str"). Parents often subconsciously modify their speech, highlighting language structures—this is known as bracketing.

Expressive Strategies

• Evocative Utterances: Children produce statements aimed at eliciting feedback from adults, which can confirm or correct their understanding, directly affecting retention and modification of word meanings.

  • Example: A child may mistakenly call a marker a fish, and through adult clarification, they learn the correct terminology.

• Hypothesis Testing and Interrogative Utterances: Children frequently ask questions with rising intonation to confirm meanings, ultimately pushing their vocabulary development forward. A positive correlation exists between the frequency of interrogative utterances and vocabulary size at 24 months.

Importance of Vocabulary Development

Vocabulary development is a strong predictor of both expressive and receptive language skills, as well as overall academic performance. Early language experiences at home significantly influence vocabulary growth, making it imperative for parents and educators to create rich language environments.

Imitation in Language Acquisition

• Selective Imitation: This involves the partial or complete repetition of a speaker's utterance, essential for vocabulary expansion and transitioning into multi-word phrases. Selective imitation often happens within the framework of daily routines, which enhances practical language use.

Conclusion

A comprehensive understanding of these fundamental components of language learning provides critical insights into how children acquire and utilize language in varying contexts, equipping educators and parents to support language development more effectively.