Language Development Theories and Practical Implications

1. Language Development Theories: Practical Implications

2. Most information taken from: • Roseberry-McKibbin, C., Hegde, M.N., & Tellis, G. (2019). An advanced review of speech-language pathology: Preparation for Praxis and comprehensive examination. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed, Inc.

3. PowerPoint Outline • I. Introduction • II. Theories of Language Acquisition • A. Behaviorist theory • B. Social interactionism theory • C. Cognitive theory of Piaget • D. Nativist theory of Chomsky • E. Information processing theory

4. I. INTRODUCTION** • Children begin developing language at birth as they interact with their caregivers. • Children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are exposed to diverse experiences; this diversity creates the concepts to which children attach symbols, or words.

5. II. Theories of Language Acquisition** • A. Behaviorist Theory: • B.F. Skinner • Explains acquisition of verbal behavior • Verbal behaviors are learned under appropriate conditions of stimulation, response, and reinforcement • Breaks verbal behavior down into echoics, mands, tacts

8. In therapy, clinicians who use principles of the behaviorist theory:

9. For example:** • Target: The child will use the word earth in a sentence. • Appropriate antecedent event “What planet do we live on?” • Child: “We live on planet Earth.” • SLP: Right! Great! Here’s a

10. Youtube • Sheldon trains Penny

12. B. Social Interactionism Theory** • Language function, not structure, is emphasized • Language develops as a result of children’s social interactions with the important people in their lives • Vygotsky (Russian psychologist): language knowledge is acquired through social interaction with more competent and experienced members of the child’s culture

13. According to social interactionism theory:

15. Clinical Implications:

16. Tristin, 8 years old, likes the counter; the star chart, not so much 

17. How would you motivate the following clients to talk? • Silent 2-year old boy (good comprehension) • Reluctant 7-year old girl • Recalcitrant 15-year old

18. C. Cognitive Theory** • Jean Piaget • Emphasizes cognition, or knowledge and mental processes • Language acquisition is made possible by cognition and general intellectual processes • Two forms: strong cognition hypothesis and weak cognition hypothesis

19. Strong cognition hypothesis:** language • Cognitive abilities are prerequisites to language skills • Language will absolutely not develop without these cognitive abilities Cognition

20. Weak cognition hypothesis:

21. Piaget’s stages of cognitive development:

22. Youtube video: • Lucille Piaget’s sensorimotor

23. Preoperational (2-7 years)

24. Concrete Operations (7-11 years)** • Acquires conservation and classification skills • Child less egocentric, has ability to see others’ points of view

25. Youtube • A typical child on Piaget’s conservation tasks

26. Formal Operations (over 11 years)

27. Clinical implications of the cognitive theory:

28. Also….** • If cognitive skills are low, why bother with language therapy? It won’t help, because the foundation (cognition) is not there • Thus, children with (low) cognitive skills that are commensurate with their (low) language skills are denied therapy

29. Lastly…** • Clinicians must assess and treat cognitive precursors to language and facilitate development of these precursors before working on language itself • So, with a very young child, you would work on symbolic play and object permanence before you tried to have a child say her first word

30. D. Nativist Theory:** • Noam Chomsky • All children are born with a Language Acquisition Device (LAD) • This is a specialized processor that is a physiological part of the brain --Children have an innate capacity to acquire language

32. Chomsky introduced the concepts of:

33. surface structure Deep structure

34. Clinical implications of the nativist theory are scant: • In therapy, *syntax* • Reinforcement unnecessary • Lang. is innate; so is walking. We don’t reinforce a ch for walking, and don’t reinforce for talking.

35. Drawbacks:

36. E. Information Processing Theory

37. Phonological processing:** • Concerned with processes involved in a child’s ability to mentally manipulate phonological aspects of language • These include word rhyming, syllabication, etc.

38. Temporal auditory processing:** • Child’s ability to perceive the brief acoustic events that make up speech sounds and track changes in these events as they happen quickly in the speech of other people • Child’s capacity for and speed of processing • Children with problems can’t remember and repeat back digit strings, lists of real or nonsense words, etc.—esp. if fast

39. If we can provide early intervention for children with language impairments…** • We will prevent many future problems and help these children achieve their social, academic, and professional potential

40. PowerPoint Outline • I. Introduction • II. Theories of Language Acquisition • A. Behaviorist theory • B. Social interactionism theory • C. Cognitive theory of Piaget • D. Nativist theory of Chomsky • E. Information processing theory