Language Development

786 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Theories of language acquisition and their influence in early childhood

Presentation Summary: Language Development

The development of human language is something that has peaked the interest of researchers and inquisitive minds alike for centuries. Homo sapiens are unique in so many ways however the trait that truly sets us apart from other mammals is our ability to use complex language to communicate. Though human DNA is very similar to that of our ape cousins, humans are the only primates who are physiologically, and cognitively, capable of making the sounds necessary to produce complex language. Within this brief essay I will summarize the content of my presentation on language development including: the origins of human language; language development in humans; and how humans learn language. By doing so, I will provide the reader with a general overview of language development in humans that considers evolution, anatomy and physiology, cognitive development, and social factors as the basis for language development in humans.
Origin of Human Language

The origin of human language is somewhat of a mystery. However, Christianson, Morton, and Kirby (2013) conclude that it is likely that complex language developed gradually along with various other complex behaviors as human brain size, and subsequent brain capabilities, increased. Though that may seem speculative, fossil evidence in conjunction with examinations of primate anatomy shows that the species that preceded Homo sapiens and living non-human primates did not and do not, respectively, have the anatomical and physiology structures necessary to produce the intricate sounds that are necessary for human language in its current complexity (Christiansen, Morton, and Kirby, 2003).
Various competing theories have been developed in an attempt to e...

... middle of paper ...

...een the ages of three and 10, and directly conflicts with the language programs of most public schools because they typically begin second language programs during high school years (Hoff, 2013).

How we learn language
Much like various other cognitive abilities studied in developmental psychology, language acquisition occurs in loose stages that build upon each preceding stage. These stages include: babbling, which typically occurs between three and nine months; single words, which typically occur between 10 and 13 months; two word sentences which occur around 18 months; and finally the beginning of multiple word sentences around age two (Yule, 2014; Saxton, 2012). For developmentally healthy children language acquisition is a relatively expeditious process. In fact, by the time a child enter school (around age five) they will likely know 10,000 to 15,000 words.

Show More
Related

  • Comparing Malcolm X And Helen Keller's A Word For Everything

    1228 Words  | 3 Pages

    The prehistoric times stand evidence to the power of language as a tool for communication and growth. Language has proven to be an effective medium and factor surrounding the evolution of man. Language has played a big role in the development of individuals and societies. What is spoken and/or written, help in the initiation of imagination, expression of feelings, and conveyance of thoughts and ideas. “The pen is mightier than the sword” (Bulwer-Lytton 1839).

    Read More

  • Niches of the Mind;The Brain and Language

    1271 Words  | 3 Pages

    Symbolic communication is by no means limited to humans, or, for that matter, to the most complex organisms. Most fairly social animals have a range of about fifteen to thirty-five physical displays or calls. "As far as we know, cuttlefish, related to squids, have about the same size repertoire size as non-human primates do." (class notes Ling. 101) The evolution of animal communication is thought to have occurred through "ritualization of previously existing behavior" (class notes Ling. 101) In most animals, communicative displays are innate, that is, genetically determined. This is not at all the case in humans; human language is learned. Yet a few of the main things that distinguish human language from other animal communication, namely grammar and syntax, are argued by some linguists to be instinctive. (Pinker)

    Read More

  • Essay On Primate Language

    1044 Words  | 3 Pages

    Primates and their behavior are used by scientists to estimate the capacities of human ancestors. Since humans and numerous primate species employ vocalizations as their primary means of communication, the vocal aspect of primate behavior has been a principal focus of studies exploring the origins of human language. Studies indicate that in spite of important differences, primate vocalizations exhibit some key features that characterize human language. However, some critical aspects of human speech, such as vocal plasticity, are missing in primate language (Fedurek and

    Read More

  • English Vs American Sign Language Essay

    1027 Words  | 3 Pages

    18-22 months a two-word stage. 22-36 months the child is learning word modifications and rules for sentences. Age 3-7 or 8 years old mastering ASL

    Read More

  • Child Development and Learning Focusing on Language Development

    1979 Words  | 4 Pages

    This essay is about a child’s development and learning, focusing primarily on language development. It will describe the main stages of developmental "milestones" and the key concepts involved for children to develop their language skills, discussing language acquisition and social learning theory. The essay will also look into the key theorists involved in language development, primarily Vygotsky and Chomsky, and how these theories have had an impact on the way society views language and their implementation within schools. The essay will describe the factors affecting language development, both biological and environmental. While also discussing key arguments among theorists, one being the nature vs nurture debate, and how these play a part in the teaching in schools.

    Read More

  • Three Main Theories of Child Language Acquisition

    892 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are three main theories of child language acquisition; Cognitive Theory, Imitation and Positive Reinforcement, and Innateness of Certain Linguistic Features (Linguistics 201). All three theories offer a substantial amount of proof and experiments, but none of them have been proven entirely correct. The search for how children acquire their native language in such a short period of time has been studied for many centuries. In a changing world, it is difficult to pinpoint any definite specifics of language because of the diversity and modification throughout thousands of millions of years.

    Read More

  • The Biological Basis of Language Development

    3894 Words  | 8 Pages

    Biological foundation of language may contribute significantly to such universality. The issue here is not whether language is innate, for, clearly, language must be learned. Nor is the issue whether the aptitude for learning a la...

    Read More

  • Language Development In Child Development

    525 Words  | 2 Pages

    Child development language is a process by which children come to communicate and understand language during early childhood. This usually occurs from birth up to the age of five. The rate of development is usually fast during this period. However, the pace and age of language development vary greatly among children. Thus, the language development of a child is usually compared with norms rather than with other individual children. It is scientifically proven that development of girls language is usually at a faster rate than that of boys. (Berk, 2010) In other terms language development is also a crucial factor that reflects the growth and maturation of the brain. However, this development usually retards after the age of five making it very difficult for most children to continue learning language. There are two major types of language development in children. These include referential and expressive language development styles. In referential language development, children often first speak single words and then join the words together, first into –word sentences and then into th...

    Read More

  • Language Acquisition

    3235 Words  | 7 Pages

    How do children acquire language? What are the processes of language acquisition? How do infants respond to speech? Language acquisition is the process of learning a native or a second language. Although how children learn to speak is not perfectly understood, most explanations involve both the observations that children copy what they hear and the inference that human beings have a natural aptitude for understanding grammar. Children usually learn the sounds and vocabulary of their native language through imitation, (which helps them learn to pronounce words correctly), and grammar is seldom taught to them, but instead that they rapidly acquire the ability to speak grammatically. Though, not all children learn by imitation alone. Children will produce forms of language that adults never say. For example, “I spilled milk on hisself” or “Debbie wants a cookie”. This demonstrates that children have the desire to speak correctly and have self-motivating traits to communicate. This supports the theory of Noam Chomsky (1972)-that children are able to learn grammar of a particular language because all intelligible languages are founded on a deep structure of universal grammatical rules that corresponds to an innate capacity of the human brain. Adults learning a second language pass through some of the same stages, as do children learning their native language. In the first part of this paper I will describe the process of language acquisition. The second part will review how infants respond to speech.

    Read More

  • Language Development in Children

    1962 Words  | 4 Pages

    ... (p. 116). In her article, “Babies Prove Sound Learners,” Sohn (2008), states, “Such studies show that, up to about 6 months of age, babies can recognize all the sounds that make up all the languages in the world” (para.24). B.K. Skinner suggest that the materialization of language is the result of imitation and reinforcement. According to Craig and Dunn (2010), “Language development is linked to cognitive development that, in turn, depends on the development of the brain, on physical and perceptual abilities, and on experiences. Biological and social factors also jointly influence the early development of emotion and personality” (p. 117). In her article, A natural history of early language experience. Hart (2000), states, “Talking is important for children, because complexity of what children say influences the complexity of other people’s response” (para. 1).

    Read More

  • Fostering Language Development in Schools

    815 Words  | 2 Pages

    When you think of language the first thing that comes to mind is speech. Without speech, which is made up of letters, vocal sounds and words, we would not be able to communicate and understand each other’s needs. So in order for educators to help enhance literacy development they must take into consideration the whole classroom and how it should be designed. In this paper, I am going to create a floor plan of my current pre-school classroom and discuss how it fosters language development in the library center, dramatic play center, and the block center including an explanation of how these three areas support language acquisition.

    Read More

  • Language and Brain

    1338 Words  | 3 Pages

    In this part, the writer will point out the importance of the biological and neural foundation of language learning by discussing the following :First, the brain anatomy. Second, l...

    Read More

  • Comparing Theories of Language Acquisition and Language Development

    2926 Words  | 6 Pages

    Language acquisition is perhaps one of the most debated issues of human development. Various theories and approaches have emerged over the years to study and analyse this developmental process. One factor contributing to the differing theories is the debate between nature v’s nurture. A question commonly asked is: Do humans a...

    Read More

  • Language Acquisition

    7590 Words  | 16 Pages

    Children’s acquisition of language has long been considered one of the uniquely defining characteristics of human behaviour.

    Read More

  • Linguistic Diversity and Multilingualism

    997 Words  | 2 Pages

    Language has pioneered many interracial relationships and historical milestones. Language is a necessity for basic communication and cultural diversity. Being multilingual is a skill proven influential to a successful future. Due to rapid globalization, countries all over the world are stressing the importance of learning a second, or even third, language. With the exception of time and lack of resources, adults have very few widely applicable disadvantages to learning multiple languages. However, language learning as a child presents more complications. Some of those include not having enough funding at the elementary school level to introduce a program for secondary language, academic overload for the youth, stress for both the parent and student parties, and the mixing of languages. Not all of these complications are true in any or all situations, however, and the absence of them provides multitudes of opportunity for future career and academic success. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the parents or the education legislation to decide whether they encourage the learning of a secondary language at the young age necessary for retention. “The general consensus is that it takes between five to seven years for an individual to achieve advanced fluency,” therefore the younger a child begins to learn, the more likely they are to benefit to the maximum potential (Robertson). Keeping the language learning in high school or beginning the process earlier is a greatly controversial discussion that is important to address because of the topic’s already lengthy suspension.

    Read More

More about Language Development

Open Document