The document discusses several theories of first language acquisition: - Behaviorism proposes that language learning is habit formation through reinforcement of behaviors. However, it cannot explain how children learn varied language or produce novel sentences. - Universal Grammar posits an innate language acquisition device that allows children to learn the rules of their language quickly despite variability in input. However, it does not explain vocabulary or social use of language. - Cognitive development theory links language acquisition to children's cognitive abilities to categorize and generalize, helping them overcome variability. It best explains vocabulary learning but is less satisfactory for grammar. - The functional theory emphasizes that children learn through listening and speaking interactions. While it explains conversational abilities, it does not account for consistency

1. 1
Theories of First Language
Learning

2. 2
Questions
• Why do children learn their first language in a
short time?
• Why do children learn their first language in
sequences and stages?
• How do children learn the rules of their first
language when what is heard is variable?
• Why do children produce language that they
have never heard?

3. Behaviorism in general
• Learning is habit formation
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4. 4
Behaviorism in language learning
• Language learning is also habit formation
• Successful performance of a behavior
(pronunciation, grammatically correct
sentences, new words) is rewarded,
usually by parents, over and over again
until the behavior becomes automatic

5. 5
Evaluation of behaviorism 1
• Habit formation takes a long time
• The same process must be repeated over
and over again for each grammar feature and
word
• Habit formation would result in variation
• What each child hears is unique so what she
learns should be unique.
• However, we observe sequences and stages

6. 6
Evaluation of behaviorism 2
• Habit formation requires uniform language
to be successful
• Language is not uniform; it is variable
• Children only imitate what they hear
• Children, however, produce unique words
and sentences

7. 7
Universal Grammar
• Universal Grammar (UG) is an internal
innate ability for languages
• UG is a set of principles that are common
to all languages
• Not a set of grammar rules
• For example, UG tells us that all languages
use word order and hearing the language tells
children which word order to use

8. 8
Evaluation of Universal Grammar 1
• UG makes it simple for children to
discover rules
• Thus, language learning doesn’t take a lot of
time
• UG is an innate set of principles
• Because UG is the same for everyone,
sequences and stages are likely

9. 9
Evaluation of Universal Grammar 2
• UG operates like a computer program and
tells children what is possible and not
possible
• Children can still construct rules even though
language is variable
• UG helps children create rules
• Rules allow children to be creative and make
words they’ve never heard before

10. 10
Evaluation of Universal Grammar 3
• UG is a powerful explanation of how
children learn grammar
• UG doesn’t explain how children learn
words or how to use language socially

11. Cognitive Development
• The way the we see and understand the
world develops in stages.
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12. 12
Cognitive Development &
Language learning
• Children learn language by making
connections between what they hear and
objects, events and situations
• Children put the connections that they
make in categories and make
generalizations

13. 13
Cognitive Theory
• Language ability and cognitive
development are not separate
• Language learning is part of a child’s
cognitive development
• How much language children can
understand depends on their cognitive
development.

14. 14
Evaluation of the Cognitive Theory 1
• Cognitive abilities develop quickly, and so
do language abilities
• Cognitive abilities develop in stages, and
so do language abilities
• Making categories and generalizations
lets children overcome variability
• Making generalizations leads to new
language

15. 15
Evaluation of the Cognitive Theory 2
• The cognitive theory is a good explanation
of how children learn vocabulary
• The cognitive theory is less satisfactory in
explaining how children learn grammar
• Grammatical features with several meanings
• I’m writing now.
• I’m living in Paris, but I usually live in London.
• I’m playing tennis tomorrow.

16. 16
Functional Theory 1
• Learning occurs by listening to people and
speaking with people

17. 17
Functional Theory 2
• Listening is a chance to understand what
is heard
• Speaking is a chance to
• Send a message
• Check one’s understanding
• Learn how to express messages
grammatically

18. 18
Evaluation of the Functional Theory 1
• Not all parents talk a lot; some more than
others
• All children learn to speak in about the same
time
• Conversations with children are all unique
• Because they are unique, it is difficult to
explain sequences and stages

19. 19
Evaluation of the Functional Theory 2
• Language is variable
• Checks for comprehension by both parents
and children help make rules clear
• The functional theory provides no
explanation for why children produce
words they’ve never heard

20. Conclusion 1
• Language is complicated
• Difficult for one theory to explain how we
learn all aspects of language
• Each of the theories explains some
aspects of language
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21. 21
Conclusion 2
• Behaviorism – sociolinguistic knowledge
• Many aspects of being polite are learned
habits.
• When to say please and thank you.
• Universal Grammar – grammatical
knowledge
• An innate computer program perhaps best
explains how we master grammar

22. Conclusion 3
• Cognitive – Vocabulary
• When we look at the world, we tend to
categorize and generalize about what we see
and this is the same thing that we do with
new words.
• Functional – How to talk
• Babies talking with their parents learn
conversation rules.
• They learn to talk by talking
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