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Theories of Language Development

Theories of Language Development. Oral Language and Written Language. “Reading seems to depend on a set of language processes that are common to both reading and listening.” (Daneman, 1991, p.56)” …internally reading and auding are the same language (Sticht & James, 1984, p. 303).

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Theories of Language Development

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  1. Theories of Language Development

  2. Oral Language and Written Language • “Reading seems to depend on a set of language processes that are common to both reading and listening.” (Daneman, 1991, p.56)” • …internally reading and auding are the same language (Sticht & James, 1984, p. 303).

  3. Definition of Language • Primary means of human communication • A system for representing human thought • Use of abstract symbols to represent concepts • Use of a finite number of sounds to create an infinite number of words • Involves genetic and environmental bases • Acquired through active participation

  4. Language and Thought: Possibilities • Thought depends on language • Language depends on thought • Language and thought are independent • Language and thought are interactive

  5. Components of Language • Phonology • Morphology • Syntax • Semantics • Pragmatics

  6. Phonology • nup • phouvend • averstop • polyenbert

  7. Morphology • nup: nups; nupped; nupping; renup; unnup • phouvend: phouvender; phouvendably • averstop: nonaverstop; averstopist; averstopology • polyenber; polyenbergram; polyenberism

  8. Syntax • The vyakum flannered down the quettiful voth with maggle tome. Despite zathers, Cneb ackered the sestuaga and planella. He iffered and hathered for bromes and bromes.

  9. Semantics • Word Meaning: Fat, rich, soft, suet, weighty • Word Choice: Fat, plump, overweight, chunky, chubby, stout, obese • Word Combinations: fat cat, fat of the land, chew the fat; fat farm; fat chance; fat wallet; fat lip

  10. Pragmatics • “For pity’s sake, will you shut up so I can get a word in edgewise?” • “Excuse me for interrupting but I really need to offer a comment.” • “Stuff it!”

  11. Communicative Competence • Grammatical competence: Word formation; word meaning; pronunciation; sentence formation • Pragmatic or sociolinguistic competence: Producing and understanding language in different contexts; considering factors as participants, purposes and conventions of the interaction

  12. Communicative Competence • Discourse Competence: Combining linguistic units into meaningful wholes • Strategic Competence: manipulating language to achieve goals; use of gestures and voice tone

  13. Units of Language • Phoneme • Syllable • Morpheme • Word • Phrase • Clause • Sentence • Genre or discourse

  14. Language Myths • Some languages are simpler and easier to learn • Some languages are primitive • Some dialects are better than others • Some languages are superior to others

  15. Language Myths • Other people have accents • Language should be correct • Children learn languages more easily than adults • English spelling is irregular and idiosyncratic ghoti = fish

  16. Theories of Language Development: Behaviorist (Skinner) • Language is a set of associations learned through relating a stimulus to a response • Language is learned through imitation, practice and reinforcement • Criticized because of low rate of parental reinforcement; attention to accuracy as opposed to grammatical correctness and low use of imitation in children

  17. Theories of Language Development: Nativist (Chomsky) • Language is innate and part of biological makeup • Language acquisition device (LAD) • Speed of language development would be impossible without innate structures

  18. Cognitive Theory • Language is secondary to cognitive development • Language is dependent on cognitive development

  19. Psycholinguistic Theory • Reliance on an underlying set of language rules • Each language has a limited set of basic sentence structures and transformations of these structures

  20. Semantics Theory • Semantics develops prior to syntax; thought comes before language

  21. Sociolinguistic Theory (Halliday) • Focus on the functions of language • Instrumental • Regulatory • Interactional • Personal • Imaginitive • Heuristic • Informative • Metalinguistic

  22. Instrumental: Get what we want; persuade; argue • Regulatory: Control behavior of others • Interactional: Establish social relationships • Personal: Express individuality; feelings; opinions

  23. Imaginative; Create one’s own world through drama, play, stories, etc • Heuristic: Acquire knowledge; investigate; wonder • Informative: Report facts and conclusions • Metalinguistic: Talk about and reflect upon language

  24. Resource Trumbull, E., & Farr, B. (2005). Language and learning: What teachers need to know. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon

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