Theories of

Language
Development

1
 2

Language Development
The predictable, step-by-
step change in language
skill as children grow.

Note: Proceeds via the

same steps in all cultures.
 3

Theories of Language Development

• Three general views:
Biological –Genetic Structure and
Language
Cognitive – Cognition/ Intelligence and
Language
Environment - Social Interaction and
Language
 4

Biological Theory of Language

• Innatist/Nativist Theory

• Proponent: Noam Chomsky

 5

Biological Perspective

The characteristics of
complex organisms are in
general a complicated
product of inborn
genetically determined
structure
 6

Chomsky’s Assumptions
Humans have the innate ability to
acquire language; they are genetically
preprogrammed for it.

As long as the child is exposed to

language, the inborn tendencies will be
activated
 7

Chomsky’s
Assumptions
 In the case of language,
infants are born with:
 a universal grammar
(UG)
  language acquisition
device (LAD)
 8

Universal Grammar
Innate linguistic knowledge
which consists of a set of
principles common to all
languages.
 9

Language Acquisition Device (LAD)

Not a physical structure in the
brain but a neurological
predisposition to learn language

Evidence: All normally developing

children acquire language
 10

Evidences
o Youngsters learn language
effortlessly
o Youngsters learn language in a
short amount of time
o Youngsters do not need
instruction to learn their mother
tongue
 11

Cognitivist Theory Assumptions

 Language development is connected
to the child's cognitive development

 As the child moves through the

different stages of cognitive
development, his/her language skills
change, too
 12

Cognitivist Theory Assumptions

 Language development depends on

cognitive development but not vice-
versa

 Language is important for

communication but communication
is not of itself the acquisition of
knowledge
 13

Social Contextual Theory

“ Language is learned
through social interaction”
 14

Lev Vygotsky’s Social

Contextual Theory

Social interaction influences

both language and cognitive
development.
Russian psychologist

Lev S. Vygotsky
(1896 – 1934)

15
 16

Vygotsky’s Concepts and

Assumptions
•Language and thought are separate and
independent from each other until the
child is approximately two years of age.
•Children use language to reason.
Language provide labels for the objects
and events that children think about.
 17

Vygotsky’s Concepts and Assumptions

• Language learning is influenced by

the desire of children to
communicate with others

• Collaborative learning is the idea

that conversations with older
people  can help children both
cognitively and linguistically
 18

Something to Think About

1. If you wanted to learn a

second language, how long do
you think it would take you to
speak and understand that
language?
2. What conditions would
influence the learning of a
second language?
 19

CONDITIONS FOR LANGUAGE

LEARNING
Harmer (2001) says:
“…all that anybody needs to
learn a new language are
three elements: exposure,
motivation, and opportunities
for use.”
 20

Factors in Acquiring a second

language

Informal interactions with peers

•“Playground talk”

Exposure to teachers and

advanced speakers for further
development
 21

Stages in Second Language

Acquisition
1.Preproduction/Comprehension
Stage
 Silent period

 More on listening

 Can respond non-verbally

 22

Stages in Second Language

Acquisition
2. Early Speech Production

Can produce one or two words at a time
Will make lots of errors
Interlanguage occurs (a mixture of
vocabulary and structures from both
languages
 23

Stages in Second Language

Acquisition
3. Speech Emergence

Interlanguage continues to occur

Longer utterances

Decreases in errors
 24

Stages in Second Language

Acquisition
4. Intermediate Fluency

• Appear orally fluent

• Errors are same errors native
speakers make
• Struggle with content area
reading and writing
 25

End for now……..