Theories of Language Acquisition

Nativistic Theory

Key thinker: Noam Chomsky

• We are pre-programmed to learn language in a rapid and systematic manner
• Chomsky identified several problems with the behaviourist approach that prevailed during the mid-20th Century – claimed there must be a biological basis for language for three primary reasons:

1. Children learn language rapidly and easily despite limited cognitive abilities
2. Children do not receive punishment or reinforcement during language learning nor is the spoken language they hear “proper” language, there are no formal lessons to condition children to speak
3. Generativity – infinite combinations of words are possible, and children are able to produce many statements & combinations of words they have never heard before

• Children have innate mechanisms for learning language (LAD – language Acquisition Device)
• Languages have surface structure and deep structure – transformational grammar allows us to translate surface words to reveal their deep structure and understand their meaning
• Universal LADs evolved so that children can grasp the abstract structures of language without putting heavy demands on their cognitive abilities – innate mechanisms allow children to process subject-verb-object structure

Environmental/Learning Approach

Key thinkers: Based on Bandura’s social-learning theory (instead of learning through operant conditioning, we learn through observing and imitating models and transferring understandings from similar but not identical experiences)

• Combination of cognitive and environmental factors
• Language develops through observational learning , imitation does not necessarily involve direct copying
• Contrary to what Chomsky believed, people do actually model accurate language for young children – we speak “motherese” or Infant Directed Speech (IDS). IDS is slow, precise, grammatically accurate, simple, and repetitive.
• Parents reinforce children’s speech through positive and negative feedback and instruction

Cognitive-Developmental Models

Key thinkers: Based on Piaget’s theory of cognitive developmental stages

• Language is dependent upon thought
• Young children’s language learning mirrors their knowledge about the world they live in
• Children learn language forms that they can map onto cognitive concepts
• Most language acquisition happens during late sensorimotor to early preoperational stages and corresponds to the cognitive capabilities children master at this stage – for example, children need an understanding of object permanence before they can utter things like “all gone.”
• Children analyze speech into meaning based concepts (e.g. who did what to whom)

Sociocultural Approach

Key thinker: Bruner & others

• functional basis for learning (we learn language in order to interact with the world around us)
• language is pragmatic – it is a tool that allows inherently social beings to communicate with their world
• Language Acquisition Support System (LASS) – structured opportunities for children to learn the building blocks of language – formats are common across cultures, including: sing-song, name games, reading aloud, songs with gestures, action games. Eventually adults modify the format to encourage greater contribution from the child.