Language Development in Children: Quiz on Phonemes and Language Acquisition

1. QUIZ! 1. FILL INTHE MISSING BLANKS? During the babbling phase, the number of different phonemes (units of sound) produced are increased, known as---------------------. At about 9 or 10 months the number of phonemes decreases known as--------------------------- In other words, the child retains the sounds of its native language but discards the ones it knows aren’t needed. We know this happens because research has shown that at this age, the sounds made by babies from different nationalities are different.

2. 2. Adding ‘ed’ to walk is an example of… • A. An irregular plural • B. A post modifying adjective • C. An allomorph • D. A past-tense suffix

3. 3.These are examples of…. “Doggie” “Mummy” Kitty

4. 4. What is CDS? • What it is and definition • 3 x Examples

5. 5. Doggie, daddy, bot-bot etc are examples of…. • A. Shortenings • B. Colloquial Language • C. Diminutives • D. Convergence

6. Put these in order…. Behaviorist Language is a symbolic representation which allows children to understand the world. Skinner Language is just one part of a child’s intellectual development. Vygotsky Innate Children imitate adults. Their correct utterances are rewarded and praised. Chomsky Cognitive Language is embedded. Children are born with special language learning mechanisms. Piaget Cognitive

7. Answers: • Q1 – Phonemic expansion and phonemic contraction • Q2 – D • Q3 – Over extension • Q4 – Child Directed Speech (see examples) • Q5 – Diminutives • Q6 – See slide

8. Put these in order…. Behaviorist Language is a symbolic representation which allows children to understand the world. Skinner Language is just one part of a child’s intellectual development. Vygotsky Innate Children imitate adults. Their correct utterances are rewarded and praised. Chomsky Cognitive Language is embedded. Children are born with special language learning mechanisms. Piaget Cognitive

9. Examples of CDS • Phonology • Separate phrases more distinctly, leaving longer pauses between them. • Speak more s-l-o-w-l-y. • Use exaggerated  ‘singsong’ intonation, which helps to emphasise key words.  Also to exaggerate the difference between questions, statements and commands. • Use a higher and wider pitch range. • Lexis and semantics • Use of concrete nouns (cat, train) and dynamic verbs (give, put). • Adopt child’s own words for things (doggie, wicklebabbit). • Frequent use of child’s name and an absence of pronouns. • Grammar • Simpler constructions • Frequent use of imperatives • High degree of repetition • Use of personal names instead of pronouns (e.g. ‘Mummy’ not ‘I’) • Fewer verbs, modifiers and adjectives • Large number of one-word utterances • Deixis used to point child’s attention to objects or people • Repeated sentence frames eg. “that’s a ……” • Use more simple sentences and fewer complex and passives. • Omission of past tenses, inflections (plurals and possessives). • Use more commands, questions and tag questions. • Use of EXPANSIONS – where the adult fills out the child’s utterance. • Use of RE-CASTINGS – where the child’s vocabulary is put into a new utterance. • Pragmatics • Lots of gesture and warm body language. • Fewer utterances per turn – stopping frequently for child to respond. • Supportive language (expansions and re-castings).

10. Eric Lenneberg – 1967Critical Period Hypothesis • - Basically means a biological period of time when language can be acquired more easily. • This critical period is usually early years and puberty. • Lenneberg stated that if the child did not learn the language before the puberty, the language could never be learned in a full and functional way. He proves his theory by referring to cases of feral children, such as Genie. Discovered in the age of thirteen and a half in 1970 in an isolated and neglected living condition, Genie had not had any form of communication, and she was neither able to speak nor write. After being saved from her ordeal, she began to learn language slowly, but she never regained full language capabilities.

11. Rescorla – (1980) In a nut shell…there are 2 types of over-extension • Categorical Over-extension One category of word is extended to other members of that category e.g ‘apple’ for all other fruit. • Analogical Over-extension • Similarities, but not in a clear category. Usually shape orientated e.g ‘ball’ for onion.

12. Tomasello – (2003) • Introduced the concept of ‘usage-based approaches’ to CLA • Most of our language is based on formulas and phrasal constructions that can be memorised and learnt. • Therefore language comes from language use and basic cognitive skills. Language experience. • We learn from input and practice. • W can also interpret people’s intentions Problems? Does not deal with more complex constructions – we don’t all know grammar, but we do!!! Does not deal with “poverty of stimulus” Good one to use against Chomsky!

13. Pinker – The Language Instinct - 1994 • This is great for alternative examples! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir7arILiqxg

14. Berko and Brown • This phenomena shows that children can be aware of many different phonemes before they are able to produce them themselves. In other words children are able to understand much more before they can go ahead and fully produce the language themselves. • The report came from Berko and Brown in 1960 and stated that a child referred to his plastic inflatable fish as "fis." But when he was asked "Is this your fis?" he rejected the statement. When asked "Is this your fish?" he responded "Yes my fis." • This shows that even through the child could not produce the "sh" phoneme, he was aware that it was different to the "s" phoneme. Children's comprehension is more advanced than their ability to produce words

15. Going forward revision….. • Practice annotating and reading CLA texts • Make sure you know your theorists and key ideas – make a grid • Look on the blog – I HAVE BASICALLY DONE THE SEARCHING FOR YOU! • https://misswrightgeniusguide.wordpress.com/

17. Pick one of the pieces of data and create a question.Questions start with a statement.You also need to plan your response.You will write up in class on Friday!

18. “Children learn language from other human role models through a process involving imitation, rewards and practice” Evaluate the idea that the acquisition of language depends on children’s interaction with the people and things around them? “Children have an innate understanding of language and its structures. Linguistic development is the result of an innate capacity to learn language” Evaluate this view of child language acquisition.

19. Essay Question – we’ve done this a lot! • First decide – do you agree or disagree. Try and pick a stance to take, you can still be evaluative as you go along. • Pick your 3 big ideas. Topic sentences. Link to issues and wider ideas. Thinking of approaches will help! • LEAD WITH DATA! Examples from data and own experience – these must be specific!! Use terminology. What is the data telling you? YOU MUST INCLUDE THIS! • Theory to back up and challenge.

20. Topic sentence Linked to a wider idea/ theory. What does the data show? The data states…. The range of X suggests...... The pattern of X is significant......it shows.... This use of X confirms/opposes the idea that... Reference the data. Use it like a quote. This shows/demonstrates/presents (INSERT LINGUISTIC TERM)….. An example of this is… A speaker/writer may…… Explore the data with reference to linguistic terms, offer examples This conforms to/subverts X’s proposal that… In considering X’s theory of…. This finding would confirm X’s idea that….. Back up and explore with some relevant/interesting theory How does this support your ideas? Offer an alternative point of view/theory. Evaluate the theory Recent research suggests… Clearly from contemporary research…. More recent studies illuminate the idea that…. One observation shows…. This conforms to/subverts X’s proposal that… In considering X’s theory of…. This finding would confirm X’s idea that…..

21. Perceptive topic sentence – THINK BIG and CONCEPTUAL! Answer the question Link and comment on the data– WHAT is the data showing? HOW does it back up your initial point? Explain your use of the data. Use terminology. – AO1 what we have been practicing Link to Theory/Idea – WHO agrees/disagrees with your idea? HOW can the theory support your findings? Offer an alternative view point. Bring it all together – Conclude your section. Offer an alternative idea. EVALUATE what you have said.