Language Development & Theorists
by Robert Taylor
1. Nativist Theory-Noam Chomsky: "Emphisises inborn or innate human capabilities (nature) as being responsible for language development." (Otto, 2010). Noam Chomsky contends that all people inherently have the capacity to acquire language due to cognitive structures that process language differently that they process other stimuli.
2. Cognitive Developmentalist Theory-Jean Piaget: "The emphesis of this perspective is that language is acquired as maturation occurs and cognitive competencies develop." (Otto, 2010). The close relation between cognitive development and language is based on the belief that, for language to develop, specific cognitive growth must occur first through the sensorymotor stage and the preoperational stage.
3. Behaviorist Theory-Karmiloff & Karmiloff-Smith, Harris, Skinner and Cairns: "Emphisises the role of 'nurture' and considers learning to occur based on the stimuli, responses, and reinforcements that occur in the environment." (Otto, 2010). This view comes from Skinners theory of "operant conditioning; "reinforcement takes the form of attention, repitition, and approval (Pucket & Black, 2001) and the child has an active role in the process.
4. Interactionist Theory-Vygotsky: "Focuses on the primary role of socioculture interaction in the children's development of language knowledge. This perspective contends that children acquire language through their attempts to communicate with the world around them." (Otto, 2010). Vygotsky's basic premise was that language development is influenced by the society in which the indevidual lives.
