ENAA211 Unit 2 Part 2

Theories of Language Acquisition
📌 Behaviorism emphasized repetition, imitation, and reward in language learning, but failed to explain how children acquire correct grammar from imperfect adult models.
🧬 The Nativist Theory (Chomsky) posits humans are genetically predisposed to acquire language naturally via an innate Universal Grammar and a Language Acquisition Device (LAD).
🧠 Cognitivism (Piaget, Vygotsky) argues language is linked to cognitive development stages; basic thought structures must develop *before* linguistic structures can be fully expressed.
🔄 Each theory addresses a different aspect of language acquisition, suggesting that no single theory is entirely complete; understanding requires integrating insights from all perspectives.

Cognitivism and Physical Development Connection
🧐 Cognitivists believe that initially, thought is independent of language, as seen in newborns who have thoughts/needs but lack the vocabulary to express them.
🚶‍♀️ Language and physical development coincide, as muscle development through actions like crawling and walking (around 12 months) supports the necessary oral muscle coordination for speech.
🗣️ Children map language onto their experiences; for instance, they need to *feel* heat to fully understand the concept of "hot" beyond just being told not to touch something.

Stages of Language Acquisition (Pre-School Age)
👂 Receptive skills (understanding/hearing) develop before expressive skills (speech/writing/gesturing).
🤰 The Pre-linguistic Stage occurs in utero up to 12 months, with hearing fully established around 18 weeks, allowing recognition of voices like the mother's by 24 weeks.
👶 Babbling, the use of sounds heard most often, occurs between 6 to 12 months across all cultures, demonstrating the influence of linguistic input.
❓ From 8 months, babies start creating intonation patterns (recognizing questions vs. exclamations) and can recognize their names and the word "no."
💬 The Holofrastic Stage begins around 12 months, characterized by the use of very simple, often single-syllable, repeated sounds like "mama" or "da da."

Key Points & Insights
➡️ Language development milestones (like speech) are generally based on mentally able children without hearing impairments; deviations or impairments slow down the process.
➡️ Children should master their first language before starting formal schooling (around age 7) to ensure they can communicate effectively and understand academic concepts.
➡️ Language mastery involves developing both receptive skills (listening) and expressive skills (speaking, writing, gesturing).
➡️ Learners should integrate various linguistic theories (Behaviorism, Nativism, Cognitivism) rather than adhering strictly to one to build a comprehensive understanding of language acquisition.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Feb 24, 2026, 18:53 UTC