Theoretical Approaches In L1 Acquisition

Question 1

Major theoretical approaches to L1 acquisition

Answer 1

Behaviourist
Linguistic
Interactionist -cognitive-constructivist, sociocultural or social constructivist, social interactionist, information processing-connectionnist

Question 2

Structuralist

Answer 2

Commonalities, invariant processes
Language forms and structures

Question 3

Functionalist

Answer 3

Prediction and control of verbal behaviour
Functions of forms, consequences

Question 4

What is competence?

Answer 4

Underlying knowledge

Question 5

What is performance?

Answer 5

Actual behavior

Question 6

Nativist

Answer 6

Emphasis on innate processes (innate ideas, Plato )

Question 7

Empiricist

Answer 7

Emphasis on environmental factors (blank slate, Aristotle)

Question 8

Behaviourist approach

Answer 8

B.F. Skinner
Child viewed as a passive recipient
Language is verbal behaviour
Observable and measurable
Environmental role predominates (empiricist)
Vocab comprehension. (Classical conditioning )
Productive language, explained by operant conditioning

Question 9

Strengths/supporting evidence for the Behaviourist Approach

Answer 9

Attempt to explain complex process within context
Environmental input is critical
Shaping and reinforcement work to a certain extent in changing existing behaviour

Question 10

Limitations of the Behaviourist Approach

Answer 10

Little actual direct reinforcement
Syntactic/grammatical learning?
Infrequent beyond age two
Creativity?

Question 11

Linguistic Approach

Answer 11

Language is unique
Language forms, structuralist, competence
Biological basis, nativist
Environment as trigger for dev
Universality to rules
Finite set of examples, language faculty

Question 12

Innateness

Answer 12

Biological basis for language
Universality
Developmental similarities across children

Question 13

Supporting the Linguistic Approach

Answer 13

explanation for problem of language acquisition, input data insufficiently rich to allow acquisition unless UG
Creativity, learners produce forms not from the environment

Question 14

Limitations of the Linguistic Approach

Answer 14

No known principle does not necessarily mean it has to be innate
Negative evidence?
De-emphasis on environment too strong

Question 15

Interactionist

Answer 15

Empiricist and nativist ideas
Basic mental structure imposes regularly on sensory information

Question 16

Cognitive constructivism approach

Answer 16

Constructivism, humans generate knowledge and meaning from an interaction between their experiences and their ideas.

Question 17

Piaget beliefs (cognitive constructivist approach)

Answer 17

Children and adults have different cognitive processes
´Méthode clinique ´ semi-structured interviewing
Children learn through action; schemas
Role of exploration
Language is not a separate faculty
Due to cognitive maturation
Language constrained by reason
Basic linguistic developments based in basic cognitive developments
Social nature of cognition
Active involvement with environment
Complex structures from interaction
Constructivist
Performance

Question 18

What is assimilation in adaptation (learning)?

Answer 18

New object incorporated into existing skill

Question 19

What is accommodation in adaptation (learning)?

Answer 19

New skills

Question 20

Sensorimotor stage (0-2 years) characteristics

Answer 20

(Understanding environment)
From reflexive to proactive behaviour
Ability to represent reality (e.g. object permanence)

Question 21

Preoperational stage (2-7 years) characteristics

Answer 21

(Understanding symbols)
Further dev of symbolic function, language, physical problem solving, categorization
Thinking categorized by irreversibility and egocentricity

Question 22

Sensorimotor stage (when)

Answer 22

0-2 years

Question 23

Preoperational stage (when)

Answer 23

2-7 years

Question 24

Concrete operations stage (when)

Answer 24

7-11 years

Question 25

Concrete operations. (7-11 years) characteristics

Answer 25

(Mental tasks and language use) Thinking characterized by conversation and reversibility Logical thought relative to concrete or physical operations Categorization into hierarchical and serial categories

Question 26

Formal operations (when)

Answer 26

11+ years

Question 27

Formal operations (11+ years) characteristics

Answer 27

Abstracts thought, complex reasoning, flexibility Mental hypothesis testing

Question 28

Strengths/supporting evidence for Piaget’s cognitive approach (constructivist)

Answer 28

Early linguistic attainments may correlate with nonlinguistic measures Means-ends schemes and language dev Important role of cognitive maturation

Question 29

Limitations of Piaget’s cognitive approach (constructivist)

Answer 29

Correlation between cognitive and linguistic achievements perhaps not causal Only some cognitive abilities correlate with language dev Underestimation

Question 30

Sociocultural and social-interactionist approaches characteristics

Answer 30

Interplay between linguistic, cognitive abilities and social and linguistic environment Language as communicative act Language environment and child, dynamic system Language functions central Child-caregiver unit Nature& nurture Performance

Question 31

Vygotsky’s Socio-cultural approach

Answer 31

Social interaction plays important role Zone of proximal dev (ZPD) Scaffolding New concepts by interacting Learning = internalizing the language and actions of others Mechanism of social experience Emphasis: cognitive process from social interaction

Question 32

JB Gleason is a …

Answer 32

Social interactionist

Question 33

Paralinguistic Nature of CDS

Answer 33

Slower longer pauses between utterances Higher overall speech Exaggerated intonation and stress Fewer dysfluencies Fewer words per minute

Question 34

What is CDS ?

Answer 34

Child directed speech

Question 35

Lexical nature of CDS

Answer 35

More restricted vocab 3x as much paraphrasing More concrete references to here and now

Question 36

Semantic nature of CDS

Answer 36

More limited range of functions More contextual support

Question 37

Syntactic nature of CDS

Answer 37

Fewer run-on sentences Shorter, less complex sentences More well-formed s Fewer complex s More imperative s and questions

Question 38

Children’s CDS preferences

Answer 38

Varied intonation Mother’s voice Most effective with 18-21 month old

Question 39

Strengths/supporting evidence for socio-cultural approach & social interactionist approaches

Answer 39

Eclectic nature Emphasis on social interaction / social context Emphasis on CDS and interplay with child’s capabilities

Question 40

Limitations of socio-cultural and social interactionist approaches

Answer 40

Untested assumptions Less emphasis on innate linguistic principles CDS not that simple Not found in all languages Lack of empirical support