CLA Theorists Questions and Answers | Latest Update | Graded A+

CLA Theorists Questions and Answers | Latest Update | Graded A+ - How does Skinner's behaviorist approach explain language acquisition? - **Answer:** Skinner's behaviorist approach suggests that language, like all behavior, is acquired through environmental reinforcement, such as positive and negative feedback from caregivers. - What critique challenges Skinner's theory on language acquisition? - **Answer:** Critics argue that Skinner's theory overlooks the role of innate cognitive abilities and genetic predispositions in language development, suggesting it provides an incomplete explanation. - What is Lenneberg's Critical Period Hypothesis about? - **Answer:** Lenneberg proposed that there is a critical period, roughly from 2 to 13 years old, during which language acquisition must occur for normal grammatical development to occur. - How did Genie's case support Lenneberg's ideas? - **Answer:** Genie, who lacked social interaction during her early years, struggled with language acquisition and syntax, supporting Lenneberg's hypothesis that early social exposure is crucial for language development. - What are the criticisms of Lenneberg's Critical Period Hypothesis? - **Answer:** Critics argue that the evidence linking lack of early social interaction to language deficits is not definitive, and other factors such as possible innate deficiencies or abusive environments could also contribute. - According to Piaget, what are the stages of cognitive development? - **Answer:** Piaget identified four stages: Sensorimotor (0-2 years), Preoperational (2-7 years), Concrete Operational (7-11 years), and Formal Operational (11-18 years), each characterized by distinct cognitive abilities. - What criticisms did Piaget's theory face? - **Answer:** Some critics argue that infants may develop object permanence earlier than Piaget proposed, and that his theories were based on limited samples, potentially limiting their generalizability. - What did Berko's research on 'wugs' reveal about children's language learning? - **Answer:** Berko's research demonstrated that children as young as 4-5 years old can apply grammatical rules they've heard in new contexts, showing that they learn language by understanding its structure rather than just repeating. - What did Berko and Brown's 'Fis' phenomenon illustrate about phoneme perception? - **Answer:** The 'Fis' phenomenon showed that children can perceive phonemes before they can accurately produce them, highlighting early phonological awareness in language development. - What were the evaluations of Berko's research? - **Answer:** Berko's research was repeated many times and consistently showed successful results, reinforcing the validity of her findings in children's language acquisition studies. Aitchinson P Stages: Labelling - associating a name with what they are Packaging - Understanding a word's range of meanings. Over/under extension becomes a hurdle in development e.g doggie Network building - making connections between words. Understanding similarities and opposites. Believes speed of learning influenced by both environment and innate ability Bruner P LASS (Lang Acquisition Support System) Scaffolding Nurture approach that at first children are supported when learning language but once they know the code, support fades. Looked at home videos and found lack of interaction = school failure Bruner P The Spiral Curriculum Children learn best by revisiting things they've already learned but with added complexity, helping to expand cognitive development. Bruner P The Spiral Curriculum evaluations • Teaching may be repeated and children may lose interest. • Doesn't take social makeup into account Katherine Nelson P 4 categories of first words Names Actions Decribing things Personal/social words 60% of first words are nouns Chomsky P Children have a Lang Aquisition Device making the ability to understand language innate. This is because children can't repeat what their parents say since they need to understand syntax.