Fundamentos de la Enseñanza y Aprendizaje de Inglés I

Assignment: Theories of L1 acquisition 

1. How did Chomsky challenge the behaviouristic position? 

● Chomsky challenged the behaviouristic position by claiming that children
are biologically programmed for language rather than developing it through
imitation. This special ability, which is referred to as Language Acquisition
Device (LAD), develops in the kid just the same way that other biological
functions develops.
2. What is the role of imitation in language acquisition? 
● To behaviourists, language acquisition is the result of imitation, practice,
feedback on success and habit formation. Children imitate the sounds or
patterns which they hear around them and receive positive reinforcement
for doing so. Once encouraged by their environment, they continue to
imitate and practice until they form habits of correct language use.
● What about the position of cognitivism?
3. Define the critical period hypothesis (CPH)
 What happens if you start leaning a language after this period? 
● The critical period hypothesis is a specific and limited time period for
language acquisition. To Lenneberg, the ability to develop normal
behaviours and knowledge does not continue indefinitely. He argued that
the Language Acquisition Device works successfully when it is stimulated at
the right time. If you start learning a language after this period, the
language won’t be developed successfully. Specify time period
4. In what aspects does Interactionism differ from Innatism? 
● Interactionism differs from Innatism in different aspects. First, it differs in
how interactionism gives more importance to the environment (interact in
order to generate language development). Then, interactionists also
emphasize the importance of ‘child directed speech’, this is the language
which is adjusted in ways that make it easier for children to understand.
5. Compare Piaget and Vygotsky’s position about language development. 
● Jean Piaget did not see language as based on a separate module of the
mind. To him, it was one of the symbol systems which are developed in
childhood. Piaget believed that cognitive development and the interaction
with the physical world appears before language development. On the
other hand, Vigotsky concluded that language develops entirely from social
 interaction. He observed the importance of conversations which children
have with adults and with other children and saw in those conversations
the origins of both language and thought.

1. Complete the following chart. 

Behaviourism  Innatism  Connectionism 

What is innate?  Children’s minds Children are born The ability to learn
are blank slates to with a special ability is innate.
be filled by to discover for
imitation of themselves the
language. underlying rules of
a language system.

What is the role of Input?  The language The language input The input is the
spoken in the is mainly a ‘trigger’ principal source of
environment to activate innate linguistic
functions as the knowledge. knowledge. It is the
input. yes, and it is exposure to
essential. linguistic features.

How do we acquire language according to According to To innatists, After hearing

each theory?  behaviourism children are language features
children learn biologically in specific
through imitating programmed for situational or
the language that language. And it linguistic contexts
they hear around develops in children over and over
them. Once
as the same way again, learners
encouraged by their
that other develop stronger
environment
through biological functions and stronger
reinforcement, develop. mental or
children continue to neurological
imitate and practice ‘connections’
until they form between these
habits. elements.