Nature vs. Nurture in Language Development

In Vygotsky’s sociocultural development theory, social interaction plays an important role in the process of cognitive development, which is different then Piaget’s understanding of child development. Vygotsky believed children are active knowledge

On the other hand Nativists believe that language acquisition is a biological occurrence. Their theories confirm that important aspects of children’s linguistic knowledge are not acquired, but innate (Ambridge B, 2011). Their theories emphasise the structure of the human brain and how it obtains and uses language. Social Critic Noam Chomsky proposed that children are born with the ability to generate grammar (Dulay, H. 1982). This emphasises nativist’s theories and promotes nature to be the dominant role.

Nature and nurture both play a significant role in language development. Language development refers to how children understand, organise, speak and use words in order to communicate at an effective, age-appropriate level (Karen Kearns, 2013, P.105). For centuries, theorists have been debating the roles of nature versus nurture. Although, each child’s language will develop at their own pace and there will be many individual differences based on culture, ethnicity, health and ability. As well as physical, social, emotional and cognitive development in which will contribute to a child’s language development.

Lev Vygotsky believed that social and cognitive development work simultaneously to build and evolve on one another. He believed that social, cultural and personal experience cannot be detached from each other and many things influence the way children learn and develop, not just their own experiences, thus Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory. Vygotsky’s ideas were and remain controversial as he had no specific training in psychology or children’s development. His preeminent contribution to children’s development is his recognition of the value of progressing knowledge by means of interaction with educators, peers and family (Mooney, 2000, p. 83). The major ideas of Vygotsky’s theory are scaffolding and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Scaffolding is a process Vygotsky described as the framework or temporary support for children’s learning. In order for scaffolding to be beneficial, it must be responsive to the child’s needs (Coon & Mitterer, 2013, pp. 106-107).

* Language- Is a way in which you communicate with words or set of symbols that can be spoken, written or signed.

Language – Method of communication either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured or conventional way. A recognised structured system of gestures, signs and symbols used to communicate. Body of words and the systems for their use common to a people who are of the same community or nation, geographical area or same cultural tradition.

Language is a method in which individuals communicate in order to get their opinion across to the listening party. Language is the tool which ideas can be conveyed in various ways. Typically, language is referred to verbal communication, however, it ranges to all methods of communication i.e. sign language.

How do both nature and nurture interact in the promotion of language development in young children?

　　　　Language is an essential part of our daily lives. Language is used to communicate with other people to meet our needs and satisfy our understandings. Everyone uses one language or another. Some have an advantage and are able to use

Language is the major tool of acquiring knowledge. It is the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way. Thoughts, on

Nature or, in other words, heredity refers to traits that are inherited or genetic. Linguist Noam Chomsky is a strong advocate of this perspective. He has spent a lot of time on evolving a theory of grammar that is called universal grammar. Chomsky believed that language is innate, or in other words we are born with a capacity for language. Chomsky suspected there is an optimal learning age, between the ages of 3 to 10 where a child is the most likely to learn a language in its entirety and grasp fluency. The child does not need a prompt to begin language acquisition, it happens on its own. If a child is around

According to Vygotsky believed that the development of an individual depend on the social factors, that means people develop according the social environment they are exposed and the things they interact with during their early stages in life (Kozulin, 2003). The argument here is that the learning and cognitive development is dependent on the social interactions that children go through and during their early stages, that is proximal zone and the environment have major role in children development. Piaget on the other hand, argues the cognitive development in independent of any external environment and aligns to the children development, therefore claims that children

The developmental stages of language are; pre-linguistic stage, one-word stage, two or three-word utterances, more complex sentences, further development between 3-4, and further development between 4 and 5. In the pre-linguistic stage from birth to 1 year, babies can tell the difference between voices and other sounds, they can start to use sounds such as ‘dadadadada’ or ‘mamamamama’. In the one-word stage from 12 to 18 months young children can have a variety of

Most young children develop language rapidly, moving from crying and cooing in infancy to using hundreds of words and understanding their meanings by the time they are ready to enter kindergarten. Language development is a major accomplishment and is one of the most rewarding experiences for anyone to share with a child. Children learn to speak and understand words by being around adults and peers who communicate with them and encourage their efforts to talk.

What is a language? My survey reveals to me that it is words we speak, the sounds we make, the symbols we compose, or now and then even just the way we pass on messages. I like to think that a language is a portrayal of our existence. A medium for passing on data that has been seen by a man, to someone else is what a language is. Without a doubt, it consists of words, images and sounds, yet it is a considerably more extensive idea than simply those.