Theoretical Perspectives
by Heather Pierson
1. B.F. Skinner
2. Focus on nurture and semantic, syntactic and morphemic language knowledge.
3. Considers learning to occur based on the stimuli, responses, and reinforcements that occur in the environment (Otto, 2010).
4. Emphasizes inborn or innate human capabilities as being responsible for language development (Otto, 2010).
5. Noam Chomsky
6. Behaviorist
7. Nativist
8. Focus on nature and syntactic language knowledge.
9. Language is acquired as maturation occurs and cognitive competencies develop (Otto, 2010).
10. Vygotsky, Bruner and Halliday
11. Focuses on the primary role of socio cultural interaction in children's development of language knowledge (Otto, 2010).
12. Jean Piaget
13. Focus on nurture and pragmatic language knowledge.
14. Focus on nature and semantic and morphemic language knowledge.
15. Cognitive Developmentalist
16. Interactionist
