2. The interactionist/social theory proposes that language exists for the
purpose of communication and can only be learned in the context of
interaction with adults and other children. It stresses the importance
of the environment and culture in which the language is being
learned. Interactionists acknowledge the presence of innate biological
mechanisms, but emphasize the critical role of social interactions
(Jensen & Arnett, 2017; Levine & Munsch, 2018).
SOCIAL INTERACTION
THEORY
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3. Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky (1896-1934)
was a Soviet psychologist, first laid the foundations for the
interactionist theory when he developed the sociocultural theory of
language development and provided a theoretical framework for
other interactionists to further develop theories of language
acquisition.
Jerome Seymour Bruner
is an american phycologist, Inspired by the work of Vygotsky, he
believed that, although children do have an innate ability to learn
language, they also require plenty of direct contact and interaction
with others to achieve full language fluency.
PROPONETS
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4. DISCUSSION
Vygotsky suggested that children acquire their cultural values and
beliefs through interacting and collaborating with more
knowledgeable people in their community (conveniently called the
'more knowledgeable other'). He also emphasized the importance of
the cultural and social context in language learning, arguing that
social learning often comes before language development.
In other words, we pay a lot of attention to the world, the culture, and
the people around us!
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5. The Interactionist theory also suggests that:
• Children learn language as they have the desire to communicate with the world
around them (i.e., it is a communication tool to do things like interact with others, ask
for food, and demand attention!
• Language develops depending on social interactions. This includes the people
with whom a child may interact and the overall experience of the interaction.
• The social environment a child grows up in greatly affects how well and how
quickly they develop their language skills
.
DISCUSSION
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6. CONCEPTS
Vygotsky developed key concepts such as:
• Cultural-specific tools - these are 'tools' specific to a certain culture. This includes technical
tools such as books and media as well as psychological tools such as language, signs, and
symbols.
• Private speech - this is basically talking out loud to yourself, for example, if a child is trying to
figure out a maths question they may talk themselves through it. After this stage, children's
private speech will become internalised monologues (i.e., the inner speech in your own head)
- although we all do talk to ourselves sometimes!
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7. • The Zone of Proximal Development
(ZPD) - This is the zone of potential
development in which a child can develop
skills that require the support of a more
knowledgeable teacher. This teacher can
provide scaffolding, encouraging the child
and helping them to master skills and gain
more knowledge.
CONCEPTS
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8. CHARACTERISTICS
Inspired by the work of Vygotsky, Jerome Bruner in 1983 who believed
that, although children do have an innate ability to learn language, they
also require plenty of direct contact and interaction with others to
achieve full language fluency.
Let's have a look at some of the key concepts of Bruner within the
interactionist theory such as scaffolding, the Language Acquisition
Support System, and Child-Directed Speech.
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9. SCAFFOLDING
SCAFFOLDING
with regards to the interactionist theory, Bruner used the concept of
'scaffolding' to explain the role of caregivers in child language development.
He first developed the idea from Vygotsky's theory of proximal development
which emphasised that children need a more knowledgeable other to develop
their knowledge and skills.
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10. LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
SUPPORT SYSTEM (LASS)
LASS is a term used to describe the support from
caregivers/parents/teachers in a child's early language development.
They provide active support in social interactions such as:
• Adjusting language to suit the child.
• Collaborative learning such as joint reading.
• Encouraging the child and providing feedback through
interactions.
• Providing examples for the child to imitate.
•Games
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11. CHILD-DIRECTED SPEECH
(CDS)?
In the interactionist theory, child-directed speech (CDS for short) refers
to the way in which caregivers and adults typically speak to children. It
is thought to enhance communication between child and caregiver by
helping the child to identify sounds, syllables, and words in sentences.
The slow and melodic speech is also thought to hold the attention of
toddlers.
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12. CHILD-DIRECTED SPEECH
(CDS)?
Some examples of Child-Directed Speech in the theory of interaction
includes:
• Simplified language
• Repetitive questioning
• Repetitive language
• Slowed speech
• Higher and more melodic pitch
• More frequent and longer pauses
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