Theories of language development The cognitive language acquisition

Theories of language development

�The cognitive language acquisition theories �Brief introduction of theory

�Language acquisition theory by Piaget �It is an emotional and a mental process �Development of language is directly related to the cognitive development of a child

�Language development in a child is pre-requisite �Language reflects the child’s thought process �Linguistic development is precedes cognitive development

�Piaget’s stages of cognitive development �Preoperational stage �Concrete operations stage �Sensorimotor stage �Formal operations stage

�The imitation theory �Language is a long process of reinforcement and imitation �Language acquisition is a process of development �Children learn language step by step �General purpose of theory �Main focus

�Criticisms of the behaviorists theory �First evidence �Second evidence

�The innateness theory �Developed in response to the behaviorist theory �Main figure: Noam Chomsky and Bloomfield

�Criticisms of theory �It is difficult to prove the properties of the LAD �Some properties of grammar can not be learned through positive input alone

�Input theory �The main focus �Main argument

�Structure of language �Functions of language

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