Information Processing and Language Development

Question 1

Who is Robbie Case and how did he address the criticism of the Piagetian theory? (3)

Answer 1

Neo-Piagetian psychologist

Used the image of the child as a problem solver:

• children’s activities are goal directed - child is actively seeking to master their environment
• the child builds higher order thinking and skills through trying to deal with more complex challenges

Question 2

What did Case take from the Piagetian theory? (3)

Answer 2

The focus on active participation of the child in their own development of thinking

The hierarchal integration of schemata

The structure of 4 invariant stages of development from birth to adulthood (sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational and formal operational)

Question 3

How did Case explain children’s development through the stages?

Answer 3

Working memory capacity - a model linked to the problem solving perspective

e.g., to work out the sum of 3 numbers mentally, you have to keep in mind the 3rd number as you work out the sum of the first 2

Question 4

What is our working memory?

Answer 4

the small amount of information that can be held in mind and used in the execution of cognitive tasks

Question 5

Give 2 examples of how we use our working memory in daily life

Answer 5

• retaining the early part of a sentence while putting the whole thing together
• allows us to consider characteristics of a new situation so that an effective response can be found

Question 6

How can working memory capacity be increased?

Answer 6

Through automaticity and chunking

Question 7

What is chunking? Give an example

Answer 7

the recoding of smaller units of information into larger, familiar units

e.g., putting a seven-digit phone number into two groups, one group of three numbers and the second group of four numbers

Question 8

What are the 4 learning processes?

Answer 8

1. Problem solving
2. Exploration
3. Imitation
4. Mutual regulation

Question 9

What is the neo-Piagetian theory?

Answer 9

a theory of cognitive development that assumes that Piaget’s basic ideas are correct but that uses concepts from information processing theory to explain children’s movement from one stage to the next

Question 10

What is automaticity? Give examples

Answer 10

something becomes automatic so it doesn’t take resources from our working memory, thus we can do more things at the same time

e.g., walking, speaking, bicycle-riding, assembly-line work, and driving a car

Question 11

What are 5 steps suggested by Case in designing curricula?

Answer 11

1. Specify goals
2. Analyze how experts reach goals
3. Analyze how children acquire strategies
4. Design relevant educational activities
5. Implement them in interaction with student needs and progress

Question 12

What is attention span? (4)

Answer 12

The ability to maintain focus and alertness over a period of time

It requires persistence and motivation

It increases with age

It is related to other aspects of functioning, including learning memory, academic performance, and processing large quantities of information

Question 13

What is metacognition and its benefits? (2)

Answer 13

awareness and understanding of one’s own cognitive processes - knowing what one knows and how one learns

improves self regulation and leads to more adaptive strategies which can be applied in a wider range of situations

Question 14

Give the definition of language

Answer 14

Language is a socially shared system that relates sound or gestures to meaning and enables communication

Question 15

Name the 8 language subsystems and meanings (SPPM-SPPD)

Answer 15

1. Semantics - the study of words and their meaning
2. Phenology - the rules governing the structure and sequence of speech sounds
3. Prosody - the study of the tune and rhythm of speech and how they contribute to meaning
4. Morphology - use of grammatical markers indicating number, tense, case, person, gender, active or passive voice, etc.
5. Syntax - rules that specify how words are combined to form sentences
6. Pragmatics - study of how people use language to communicate effectively (e.g., excuse me vs get out of my way)
7. Paralanguage - prosody and other non-verbal cues that express the meaning of what you’re trying to convey
8. Discourse structures - how language is connected to situation models, how to communicate a status of superiority, etc.

Question 16

What is the language acquisition device (LAD)?

Answer 16

an innate mental framework for processing language

Question 16

Which parts of the brain are associated with language and what are they responsible for? (2)

Answer 16

Broca’s area (left frontal lobe) - supports grammatical processing

Wernicke’s area (left temporal lobe) - comprehension and word meaning

Question 16

Explain Chomsky’s theory of language development (3)

Answer 16

Nativist approach - we are born with a language acquisition device

language is a product of an unlearned, biologically based, internal mental structure

abstract rules which underlie a language are too complex to be acquired by children

Question 16

What evidence supports Chomsky’s nativist perspective? (5)

Answer 16

Babbling is a universal phenomenon in infants

Children from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds tend to reach milestones in language development at similar ages

Certain areas of the brain specialize in language functions

There are sensitive periods in some aspects of language development

Even after years of training, animals such as chimps are unable to produce strings of symbols that conform to a rule-based structure

Question 17

Explain the interactionist perspective of language development (2)

Answer 17

this perspective places emphasis on interactions between inner capacities and environmental issues

theories that follow the interactionist perspective are information processing theories and social interactionist theories

Question 17

What evidence supports information processing theories?

Answer 17

1. artificial neural network models are programmed with basic learning procedures to respond to regularities in the speech system
2. the networks are exposed to various types of language input and feedback is given on the accuracy of its responses
3. A correct response strengthens the connection while an incorrect response weakens the connection

Question 18

Explain social interactionist theories

Answer 18

assumes that environmental factors and experiences gained through social interaction are contributing to the child’s language acquisition

Question 19

Name the stages of development of communication (8) (VSL-CUV-MD)

Answer 19

1. Vocalizes and responds to name
2. Says 1st words
3. Links words to referents
4. Combines words into short sentences
5. Use of plural, pronouns, etc.
6. Verbalize activities
7. Most language forms are acquired
8. Development of metalinguistic awareness

Question 20

What is the first step in the development of communication?

Answer 20

Pre-linguistic speech:

at around 2 months, babies begin to make vowel-like noises called cooing

at around 6 months, babbling appears

Question 21

Describe language development at 6 months (3)

Answer 21

Vocalization with intonation
Responds to name
Responds to human voices and friendly/angry tones

Question 22

Describe language development at 12 months (4)

Answer 22

First words appear

Infant identifies links between words and objects/actions

Understanding of simple instruction, especially with vocal or physical cues

Infant uses joint attention

Question 23

Describe language development at 18 months (4)

Answer 23

Vocabulary made up chiefly of nouns

Echolalia ( continuous repetition of a word or phrase)

Jargon with emotional content

Fast mapping - ability to link new words to real life referents

Question 24

Describe language development at 24 months (3)

Answer 24

Infant combines words into short sentences

Volume and pitch aren’t well controlled

Can use 2 pronouns correctly

Question 25

Describe language development at 36 months/3 years (3)

Answer 25

Infant can use plurals and pronouns

Verbs begin to predominate

Ability to reason out questions

Question 26

Describe language development at 48 months/4 years (4)

Answer 26

Child can understand and use at least 4 prepositions

Child understands concepts such as longer, larger, when a contrast is presented

Extensive verbalization during activities

Child readily follows simple commands even with stimulus objects not in sight

Question 27

Describe language development at 60 months/5 years (3)

Answer 27

Child uses both adjectives and verbs spontaneously, and knows common opposites

Child can count to ten and has simple time concepts

Child uses fairly long sentences and speech is grammatically correct

Question 28

Describe language development from 5 years onwards (4)

Answer 28

Development of metalinguistic awareness

Development of reading and spelling skills

Improved ability to define words and appreciate their multiple meanings in puns

Judgement of grammatical correctness of sentences

Question 29

What is the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?

Answer 29

the proposal that the particular language one speaks influences the way one thinks about reality

Question 30

What are the advantages of exposure to a second language in early education? (2)

Answer 30

higher scores on a sub-set of cognitive and social skills than monolingual children:

better selective attention, response inhibition, communication, and cooperation