Santrock tls 5_ppt_ch09

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A Topical Approach to LIFE-SPAN DEVELOPMENT

Chapter Nine:

Language Development

John W. Santrock


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What is Language?

• Defining language– Form of communication, whether spoken, written,

or signed, based on system of symbols• Infinite generativity: ability to produce an endless

number of meaningful sentences using a finite set of words and rules

– Genie, Wild Boy of Aveyron: raise questions about determinants of language


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Language’s Rule Systems

Phonology Sound system of language; how the sounds are used, combined — phoneme: smallest unit of sound

Morphology Morphemes: units of meaning in word formation

Syntax Ways words are combined to form acceptable phrases and sentences

Semantics Meanings of words and sentences

Pragmatics Appropriate use of language in context; can be cery complex


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How Language Develops

• Infancy– Babbling, gestures, and other vocalizations

• Crying present at birth• Cooing: occurs at 2 to 4 months of age• Babbling: begins at about 6 months of age• Gestures: begin 8 to 12 months of age


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• Infants recognizing language sounds– “Citizens of the world”– Newborns recognize sound changes– Recognize own language sounds at 6 months

• First words– Receptive exceeds spoken vocabulary– Timing of first word, vocabulary spurt varies


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• Infants recognizing language sounds– Asian child learns verbs earlier than child learning

English– Referential and expressive styles– Overextension and underextension of words– Two-word utterances (18-24 months of age)– Telegraphic speech


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Variation in Language Milestones

Fig. 9.3


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• Early childhood– Complex sentences at 2 to 3 years of age– Become more sensitive to language sounds;

morphology rules, some overgeneralizations– Learn and apply syntax rules; auxillary-inversion

rule takes longer


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• Early childhood– Vocabulary development is dramatic to age 6– Fast mapping

• Many hypotheses why this occurs– Give novel labels to novel objects– Use of mutual exclusivity– Benefit from hearing mature speakers


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• SES is linked to language development– Welfare parents talk less to their children

• Provide less elaboration• Talk less about past events

– Maternal language and literacy skills positively related to child’s vocabulary; not talkativeness

• Frequent pointing, gestures• Use of diverse vocabulary


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Language Input and Young Children’s Vocabulary Development

Fig. 9.6


12Fig. 9.6

Language Input and Young Children’s Vocabulary Development


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• Advances in pragmatics– 6-year-old is better conversationalist– Young children start using extended discourse

• Learn cultural rules, politeness, and become sensitive to adapting their speech to the setting

– Age 4 to 5: can change speech style at will• More polite, formal when with adults


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• Middle and late childhood– New skills learned when entering school

• Alphabetic principle• Learning diverse uses of language, sounds

– Vocabulary and grammar• Process of categorizing becomes easier• From age 6 to 11 — 14,000 to 40,000 words• Improved logical reasoning, analytic skills


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• Middle and late childhood– Development of metalingusitic awareness

• Knowledge about language; improves considerably during elementary school years

– In adolescence: most know rules for appropriate language use

– Child with large vocabulary learns to read easier– Vocabulary development linked to comprehension


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• Middle and late childhood– Whole language approach

• Instruction to parallel child’s natural language• Learning; reading should be whole, meaningful

– Basic-skills-and-phonics approach• Instruction should teach phonics and its basic rules • Reading should involve simplified materials


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• Middle and late childhood– Writing

• 2- to 3-year-olds emerge from scribbling to begin printing letters

• Most 4-year-olds can print their names; most 5-year-olds can reproduce letters, words

– Reversed letters are normal – Adults should encourage early writing


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• Middle and late childhood– Years of practice needed for good writing

• Linked to cognitive and language skills

– Concerns about students’ writing competence• Grades 4 to 12: about 70% are low-achieving• High school grads: 50% not ready for college-level

writing• Good writing results from good teaching efforts


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• Bilingualism and second language learning– Sensitive periods vary across different language

systems• Native-like accent best learned before age 12• Adults learn faster than children, attainment not as high

as children’s• U.S. students lag behind students in developed countries

in learning a second language• United States: many miss out on benefits of bilingualism


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• Adolescence– Increased use and understanding of

• Sophisticated words• Analysis and abstract thinking• Metaphors: implied comparison of unlike things• Satire: use of irony, derision, or wit to expose folly or

wickedness


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• Adolescence– Much better at organizing ideas and writing

• Dialect: variety of language distinguished by vocabulary, grammar, or pronunciation

– Adolescent dialect with peers often uses jargon or slang

– Usually used to indicate group membership


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• Adulthood and aging– Distinct personal linguistic style is part of identity– Vocabulary often continues to increase throughout

adult years until late adulthood• Most common complaint: retrieving words, hard to hear

in less than ideal listening conditions• Tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon

– Non-language factors may be cause of decline in language skills in older adults


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Biological and Environmental Influences

• Biological influences– Evolution and the brain’s role in language

• Human language acquired 100,000 years ago• Specific brain regions predisposed to language• Wernicke’s area: in brain’s left hemisphere involved in

language comprehension


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• Biological influences– Broca’s area: in brain’s left frontal lobe involved in

speech production• If damaged — fluent incomprehensible speech produced

– Aphasia: language disorder resulting from brain damage; loss of ability to use words


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Broca’s and Wernicke’s Areas of the Brain

Fig. 9.7


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• Chomsky– Humans biologically prewired for language– Language acquisition device (LAD): biological

endowment to detect features, rules of language– Theoretical, not physical part of brain– Evidence of uniformity in language milestones

across languages and cultures


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• Environmental influences– Behavioral View

• Language is reinforced chain of responses; a complex skill that is learned

– Criticisms• Cannot explain creation of novel sentences• Children learn syntax of native language without

reinforcement

– No longer considered a viable explanation


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• Environmental influences– Interaction view

• Children interested in their social world• Child-directed speech: higher pitch for attention• Parents, older children modify their speech• Other strategies:

– Recasting, Expanding, Labeling


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• An interactionist view of language– Language has strong biological foundations– Acquisition influenced by experiences; enriched

environments have more positive effect– Worldwide: language milestones reached about

the same time– Children acquire native language without explicit

teaching; some without encouragement


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• An interactionist view of language– Bruner: stresses roles of parents and teachers

help construct language acquisition support system (LASS)

• Sociocultural context is extremely important in understanding children’s language development

• Resembles Vygotsky’s ZPD


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The End

Santrock tls 5_ppt_ch09

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