Language Acquisition

Language Acquisition

1. Frameworks (AO1)

   • Select and apply a range of linguistic methods, to communicate relevent knowlege using appropriate terminology and coherent, accurate writeen expression.
   • Lexis/Semantics
     • Over-extension
       • Uses words in a broad sense
     • Under-extension
       • Uses words in a narrow sense
     • Nelson
       • Classified childres first 50 words as: Describing - 'Dirty', 'Nice', 'Pretty' Personal - 'Bye', 'Hi' Actions or Events - 'Down', 'More', 'Up' Naming things/people - 'Ball', 'Daddy', 'Juice'
   • Grammar/Syntax
     • Three Main Stages to Grammatical Development
     • Inflections
       • When '-ed' or '-es' is used when it is not needed - 'sheeps' instead of 'sheep' or 'goed' insead of 'goes'.
   • Pragmatics
     • Halliday's Functions of Language
       • Instrumental - To express needs Regulatory - to control others behaviour Interactional - To relate to others Heuristic - To gain knowlege Personal - To express yourself Imaginitively - To gain language imaginitively Informative - To convey facts and information
   • Phonology
     • Biological Noises
       • (0-18 weeks) crying, coughing, cooing.
     • Cooing and Laughing
       • (8-20 weeks) Short vowel noises
     • Vocal Play
       • (20-30 weeks) 'cooing' develops into definate controlled sounds.
     • Melodic Utterances
       • (36-72 weeks) - Intonation, rythm and melody develop.
     • Babbling
       • The experimentation of sounds.
     • Intonation
       • The rise and fall of voice when speaking.
     • Phonemes
       • Small segements of sound.

2. Linguistic Milestones (AO3)

   • O MONTHS OLD
     • Recognition of mothers voice Distinguishes phonemes (small sounds) Distinguishes own language over foreign languages.
   • 4 MONTHS OLD
     • Child knows own name Child is sentitive to word order
   • 7 MONTHS OLD
     • Early Babbling Understands first words, e.g - 'Mummy'.
   • 12 MONTHS OLD
     • Jargoning - stress/intonation is used First words are produced
   • 18 MONTHS OLD
     • Understands around 50 words Produces two-word utterances
   • 24 MONTHS OLD
     • Multi-word utterances are used
   • 60 MONTHS OLD
     • 6,000 word capacity Produces complex sentences

3. Theorists (AO2)

   • Lenneberg
     • Suggested there was a critical period for acquiring language
   • Bruner
     • Language is enriched through social interaction
   • Vygotsky
     • Stresses the influence on society/culture on language acquisition
   • Dore
     • Looking into what children do with their words, for example - repeating, questioning and answering
   • Chomsky
     • Suggested biological influences for acquiring language (LAD)
   • Skinner
     • Reinforcing behaviour plays a vital role in language development
   • Stages to Acquisition
     • Holophrastic, Two-word and Telegraphic
   • Aitchison
     • Labelling, Packaging and Network Building
   • Halliday
     • Instrumental, Personal, Regulatory and Interactional