This presentation looks at the four main theories of language development in children from tdisciplines of linguistics and sociopsychology

1. Theories of language
development
By MASINA

2. OBJECTIVES
Understanding the 4 main language developmental
theories in children i.e.
1. Behavioral Theory
2. Nativist Linguistic Theories
3. Social Interactionist Theory
4. Cognitive Theory of Language development

3. The Behavioral Theory
 It says:
 Language can be observed and measured
 Language cannot be language without speaking
 what about sign language?
 Language used needs a stimulus and without that there is no need for language
use
It fails to explain what influences child’s learning of language

4. Nativist Linguistic Theories
 It stresses that:
 Children learn through natural ability to organize the language laws, though need
other humans to accomplish this
 Children are born with a hard-wired language acquisition device(LAD) in their
brains
 They are born with the major principles of language in place, but with many
parameters to set (such as whether sentences in the language(s) they are to
acquire must have explicit subjects).
 According to nativist theory, when the young child is exposed to a language, their
LAD makes it possible for them to set the parameters and deduce the
grammatical principles, because the principles are innate. (Bigge and Shermis,
1998).

5. Social Interactionist Theory
 Focus is on:
 Pragmatics of language rather than grammar, which comes later
 Language as not an innate ability but rather develops in a negotiating
environment
??So what about Nativist Linguistic Theory??
Why do others fail to attain full language capacity within the same
cultural and environmental context??
 Culture and environment as crucial factors in language development

6. Cognitive Theory of Language Development
 It stresses that:
Language is made up of symbols and structures but it exhibits itself as a child’s
mental abilities mature
Language is only one of the many human mental or cognitive activities
Children need to mature first in order to achieve certain tasks
Thinking develops in stages
Pause: ??why do other fully grown ups fail to speak normally if language
only depends on maturity??

7. Summary
 No simple answer to explain where words come from
 Language development is a complex and a unique human quality that no theory is
as yet able to completely explain. Newer theories will probably develop from
what has already been explored. This could be taken from cognitive to
interactionist approach where the relationship of psychology and the environment
needs to be explored in greater depth.
 More from: http://www.kenpro.org/papers/theories-of-language-development-inchildren.htm#_Toc274741512
 ----Bro Masina---