CHILD GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT EXAM | QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS | NEW 2026/2027 UPDATE | GRADED A+| 100% CORRECT
(VERIFIED SOLUTIONS)
What are the major controversies or questions in the field of child development presently? -
ANSWER
- Nature vs. Nurture: how do genetics/biology and environment interact and play a role in
development?
- Active or Passive Learners: what role do children play in their development? Are they self-driven, or
entirely shaped by their environment?
- Continuous or Discontinuous Development: does development slowly build upon previous steps
and follow a linear path? Or do new knowledge and skills emerge at a specific point in life?
- How does change occur?
- What is the role of sociocultural context? What are the influences of systems and factors of context,
and do they have different weights?
- What explains individual differences?
What is the nature of the debate about how kids acquire language? -
ANSWER
Do we have an innate ability to develop language, or do we learn language because we are exposed
to it in our environment? The
ANSWER
is obviously both. Our brain gives us the capacity to learn language, but we must be exposed to it in
order to learn it, we won't just magically be able to speak it
Is there a critical period for language development? -
ANSWER
The support for this is the case study of Genie, a child that was severely neglected and wasn't
exposed to language until 13 years old. At first she learned at the same rate a toddler would, but
eventually plateaued and wasn't able to acquire grammar skills and truly employ the language.
Skinner's language theory (behaviorist) -
ANSWER
, Suggests that babies learn language through basic conditioning principles: association,
reinforcement, and imitation. Children learn through operant conditioning and just need to hear the
language in order to learn it. Believes that anything can be learned if the right methods are used.
LAD -
ANSWER
language acquisition device
Chomsky's language theory (nativist) -
ANSWER
brain is wired to learn any language. Children are born with a language acquisition device that
contains basic principles of all languages. Once you learn a language, the principles of other
languages die off and the rules of the one you're learning become stronger.
Sensitive period -
ANSWER
rather than a critical period for language development after which it is impossible to learn language,
there is a sensitive period. It is better to be exposed young, but not impossible to learn after (Genie).
Specific brain areas for language -
ANSWER
Broca's: speaking, Wernicke's: comprehension
Support for Chomsky -
ANSWER
- deaf kids can create their own language without hearing one first.
- Sensitive (not critical) period for language, better to be exposed young (Genie), but not impossible
when older.
- Other animals can't learn human language (don't have LAD → biology).
- Specific areas of brain for language: Broca's: speaking, Wernicke's: comprehension
interactionist perspective -
ANSWER
, interaction between biology and environment, e.g., information processing theory: brains have
ability to crunch data, but in order for computers to work we need the data from the environment
(so brains are set up to learn language, but need to be exposed to speech, language, and words to
learn). One example is the brain must process a stream of language and break it down into individual
words in order to process it.
Joint-attention and labeling -
ANSWER
sharing focus on an object; point together and make sure to label the object. This leads to better
attention span, language comprehension, more gestures, and vocab. growth.
Repeating and Recasting -
ANSWER
repeating the words back and elaborating. ("car!" "yeah! That's a big red car huh? It goes beep
beep!")
Child-Directed Speech (Motherse) -
ANSWER
The practice of elongating words, naturally changing pitch and tone in order to better engage the
child. This helps the children comprehend language, even deaf parents sign using CDS.
language at infancy -
ANSWER
crying (do not have different cries for different needs), start cooing and develop vowel
sounds/laughing around 2-4 months. Babbling starts at 4-6 months (one syllable), 6-8 months vowel
strings, and at 10 months babble has a range of pitch that reflects their native language.
Toddlerhood
language at toddlerhood -
ANSWER
pointing and gesturing starts around 9-12 months old, begin to receive language (can understand
"no" and respond to their name) at 9 months. Engage in joint attention.
word production and combining words with gestures ~12 months, big range for age of first word.
Start combining words and gestures (waving plus saying goodbye), two word combos→faster vocab
growth. Sign language promotes oral language.
ANSWERS | NEW 2026/2027 UPDATE | GRADED A+| 100% CORRECT
(VERIFIED SOLUTIONS)
What are the major controversies or questions in the field of child development presently? -
ANSWER
- Nature vs. Nurture: how do genetics/biology and environment interact and play a role in
development?
- Active or Passive Learners: what role do children play in their development? Are they self-driven, or
entirely shaped by their environment?
- Continuous or Discontinuous Development: does development slowly build upon previous steps
and follow a linear path? Or do new knowledge and skills emerge at a specific point in life?
- How does change occur?
- What is the role of sociocultural context? What are the influences of systems and factors of context,
and do they have different weights?
- What explains individual differences?
What is the nature of the debate about how kids acquire language? -
ANSWER
Do we have an innate ability to develop language, or do we learn language because we are exposed
to it in our environment? The
ANSWER
is obviously both. Our brain gives us the capacity to learn language, but we must be exposed to it in
order to learn it, we won't just magically be able to speak it
Is there a critical period for language development? -
ANSWER
The support for this is the case study of Genie, a child that was severely neglected and wasn't
exposed to language until 13 years old. At first she learned at the same rate a toddler would, but
eventually plateaued and wasn't able to acquire grammar skills and truly employ the language.
Skinner's language theory (behaviorist) -
ANSWER
, Suggests that babies learn language through basic conditioning principles: association,
reinforcement, and imitation. Children learn through operant conditioning and just need to hear the
language in order to learn it. Believes that anything can be learned if the right methods are used.
LAD -
ANSWER
language acquisition device
Chomsky's language theory (nativist) -
ANSWER
brain is wired to learn any language. Children are born with a language acquisition device that
contains basic principles of all languages. Once you learn a language, the principles of other
languages die off and the rules of the one you're learning become stronger.
Sensitive period -
ANSWER
rather than a critical period for language development after which it is impossible to learn language,
there is a sensitive period. It is better to be exposed young, but not impossible to learn after (Genie).
Specific brain areas for language -
ANSWER
Broca's: speaking, Wernicke's: comprehension
Support for Chomsky -
ANSWER
- deaf kids can create their own language without hearing one first.
- Sensitive (not critical) period for language, better to be exposed young (Genie), but not impossible
when older.
- Other animals can't learn human language (don't have LAD → biology).
- Specific areas of brain for language: Broca's: speaking, Wernicke's: comprehension
interactionist perspective -
ANSWER
, interaction between biology and environment, e.g., information processing theory: brains have
ability to crunch data, but in order for computers to work we need the data from the environment
(so brains are set up to learn language, but need to be exposed to speech, language, and words to
learn). One example is the brain must process a stream of language and break it down into individual
words in order to process it.
Joint-attention and labeling -
ANSWER
sharing focus on an object; point together and make sure to label the object. This leads to better
attention span, language comprehension, more gestures, and vocab. growth.
Repeating and Recasting -
ANSWER
repeating the words back and elaborating. ("car!" "yeah! That's a big red car huh? It goes beep
beep!")
Child-Directed Speech (Motherse) -
ANSWER
The practice of elongating words, naturally changing pitch and tone in order to better engage the
child. This helps the children comprehend language, even deaf parents sign using CDS.
language at infancy -
ANSWER
crying (do not have different cries for different needs), start cooing and develop vowel
sounds/laughing around 2-4 months. Babbling starts at 4-6 months (one syllable), 6-8 months vowel
strings, and at 10 months babble has a range of pitch that reflects their native language.
Toddlerhood
language at toddlerhood -
ANSWER
pointing and gesturing starts around 9-12 months old, begin to receive language (can understand
"no" and respond to their name) at 9 months. Engage in joint attention.
word production and combining words with gestures ~12 months, big range for age of first word.
Start combining words and gestures (waving plus saying goodbye), two word combos→faster vocab
growth. Sign language promotes oral language.
