Language Disorders Paper

First, children¡¯s acquisition of language is an innate mechanism that enables a child to analyze language and extract the basic rules of grammar, granted by Chomsky. It basically states that humans are born with a language acquisition device that, the ability to learn a language rapidly as children. However, there is one important controversy in language acquisition concerns how we acquire language; since Chomsky fails to adequately explain individual differences. From the behaviorists¡¯ perspectives, the language is learned like other learned behaviors. It is learned through operant

Examines how language develops from infancy into adulthood. Focuses on the modularity debate of how language is organized in the brain. Some theorize that language is domain-specific in that the brain has processes dedicated to the task of language learning and comprehension. Others focus on a domain-general theory for language learning where the processes used to learn language are the same processes used in other situations such as problem solving.

The debate between many researchers is the argument of whether nature or nurture play a more important role in development. In this essay I will be looking into both aspects of nature and nurture focusing specifically on their influence towards language development in children. A main controversial question I will be looking into is the question of whether are we born already equipped with mechanisms which help us to learn language, or is language learned throughout a child’s environment by, for example, imitation and repetition? Studies done by some opposing researchers claim to show that nature and nurture promote language development

The purpose of this report is to view various aspects of this particular disorder. After learning about a preschool child that is developmentally delayed, it is clear to see that speech plays a big role in their development. This report will bring to light a particular disorder that affects many children before they reach 5 years old. This disorder is considered a psychological concern, but the speech pathologist has a roll to play in the treatment of a child with this disorder. Many have been confused an unsure how the disorder is diagnosed and treated. Through some research we will learn what this disorder is, how it is treated, and how the child is affected by this within the

The behaviorist theory of language acquisition represents the nurture side of the nature-nurture debate. This approach assumes that the young child is born a blank slate and it is through interaction with the environment that the child is able to learn language (Skinner,

Chomsky proposed a theory of language acquisition, which holds that at least some knowledge about language exists in humans at birth. Additionally, that all languages share some properties of organization and structure. (Miller, p. 198)

Speech and language delays can be problematic for preschoolers, school aged children and adolescents. These delays range in degree of severity and have many causes; physical and developmentally. Communication plays a specific and important role to all people, especially, preschool children who are developing speech and language skills at fast rate. The consequences of these delays can be devastating for the children affected and can follow them into adulthood. These effects may include academic problems, social and emotional issues and may even lead into mental illness. Children with speech and language delays need professional intervention as young as possible. However even with intervention, some children are still at risk of suffering

There are several theories regarding language development. Work by Chomsky, Piaget and Kuhl are critical. Studies by Chomsky, as examined by Albery, Chandler, Field, Jones, Messer, Moore and Sterling (2009); Deloache, Eisenberg & Siegler (2003) argued for the innateness of language acquisition due to its complexity. Development is assisted by a language acquisition device (LAD) and universal grammar both of which holding the propensity for commonalities throughout all languages. LAD is the key to the Syntax rule. The knowledge to master the rules is held unconsciously. Chomsky concludes exposure through auditory channels as being the only requirement for learning. Arguably Kuhl (2010) writes infantile exposure to language through auditory channels only, does not contribute effectively to learning indicating the importance of human interaction. Piaget, as discussed by Ault (1977) postulated language as not being part of the earliest stages of development. Signifying within sensorimotor stage, between birth and two years, the child’s development is too reflexive. Gleitman, Fridlund and Reisberg (2004) discuss the critical period hypothesis and suggest the young brain being more suited to acquisition than the adult brain. Lenneberg (1967) (as cited in Gleitman et al 2004) advocates, brain maturation closes language acquisition capacity window. Kuhl (2010) identified, within the critical period babies develop

An important role of language is learning to use it appropriately. According to B.F. Skinner an American Psychologist, children learn to understand language through classical conditioning. This is achieved by young children playing together with objects or actions with words in a social aspect which is reinforced by attention, praise or body language, which will assist the development of an associated language. With this in mind these repeated actions and thoughts (McDevitt et al., 2013, p. 205), create schemes allowing children to adapt to their surroundings using previous knowledge. Schemes will include the type of language they will use otherwise known as language register (Fellows & Oakley, 2014, pp. 32 - 33). Language register determines

Children learn spoken language before they start school through their social groups and develop understandings of everyday spoken registers. Language development continues at school, involving vocabulary and access to more written-like language, which lays the foundation for learning to read.’ (Winch et al., chapter 3 p. 39). Chomsky developed the nativist theory that regards language as a distinctive human achievement, which is an innate structure of the brain. ‘Chomsky came up with the idea of the Language Acquisition Device (LAD). The LAD is a language organ that is hardwired into our brains at birth. Because of this, we are born with the ability to understand and develop language. Once a child is exposed to language, the LAD activates. It allows them to understand the rules of whatever language they are exposed to.’ (Study.com, 2013, chapter 8., Lesson 3). Chomsky emphasises that a child’s language acquisition takes place quickly and effortlessly due to the child having complete linguistic capabilities from birth and need only learn to express this capability regarding oral language. LAD relies indirectly on the language children hear, and input from those around them and serves as a trigger to syntactic structures. Speaking and listening is a crucial resource in student’s learning and literacy development. As student’s start school, there is a deliberate attention and use of metalanguage that they will be using during their schooling

The authors provide an overview of issues and research surrounding temperament and how it relates to speech-language development. There have been conflicting views on the exact definition of temperament; however, most researchers agree that temperamental traits are relatively stable over time. As temperament traits interact with the individual’s environmental experiences, personality traits develop (e.g. attitudes, values, self-concept, etc.). The authors identify three models of temperament and how it relates to atypical speech-language development. The disability model proposes that temperament may change due to speech-language disorders, whereas the (pre)disposition or vulnerability model suggests that the onset or changes in speech-language disorders is caused by temperament traits. Finally, the interaction model proposes that the dynamic and complex interaction of disability and vulnerability influence speech-language disorders.

Currently, there are four main theoretical perspectives on language acquisition: Behaviorist Perspective, Nativist Perspective, Social-Interactionist Perspective, and Neurobiological Perspective. Each theory has merit and is observable in certain situation throughout langue learning. However, no one theory can describe emergent literacy in all situations. It is now believed that each theory is more prevalent at different stages of learning. Researchers believe that the theories replace each other in some form throughout emergent literacy. (Vukelich, Christie & Enz, 2012).

Humans live in a world full of communication. Humans possess a native language that separates them from other animals. Language is developed within the first few years of a person 's life. By the time one is a child; he can speak and understand almost as well as an adult. Children world-wide exhibit similar patterns of language acquisition even though they may be learning different languages. How humans learn even the most complicated languages has perplexed the minds of many scientists. Two of the most popular beliefs on language acquisition today are held by Skinner and Chomsky. Their opposing belief on how humans acquire language has become the two standard views on this complicated issue;

As of the present, humans are the only species that are able to put together structural linguistic formations, such as words and sentences. Throughout the years there have been many theorists trying to master the acquisition of human language and demonstrate the theory of how language is developed in early years of life. This is a question people, including myself often think about. Using two theorists, Burrhus Fredrick Skinner (1904-1990) and Avram Noam Chomsky (1928- present) we will explore the two theories they studied in their lifetime and dedicate their life to, and contrast the two theories of language development, exploring the Behaviorist Theory, studied by Skinner and the Nativist Theory, studied by Chomsky.

A child must achieve competence with an infinite language based on a finite number of heard sentences. This is the essence of Noam Chomsky's "poverty of the stimulus" argument. As originally presented, it made a case for nativism, forcing empiricist theories to explain how such competence is achievable. In Stephen Pinker's Language Learnability and Language Development, he uses learnability both as a challenge to theories of language acquisition, and as a heuristic for evaluating them. Terrence Deacon, in The Symbolic Species, while dismissive of most of Chomskyan linguistics, still sees the learnability problem as a challenge to any theory that hopes to explain human linguistic knowledge. I will begin