Theoretical Perspectives

1. Cognitive Developmentalist

1.1. Jean Piaget

1.2. language is acquired as maturation occurs and cognitive competencies develop

1.3. proposes that children learn language by using the same mechanisms as for other learning

1.4. Object performance

1.5. Symbolic representation

2. Interactionist

2.1. L. Vygotsky

2.2. Focuses on primary role of socioculteral interation

2.3. Acquire language through attempts to communicate with those around you

2.4. focuses on language process not product

3. Behaviorist

3.1. B. Skinner

3.2. emphasizes the role of "nurture"

3.3. learning to occur from stimuli, responses and reinforcements from the environment

3.4. language is "taught" through of imitation of others

3.5. Operant conditioning

4. Nativist

4.1. Noam Chomsky

4.2. Emphasizes inborn or innate human capabilities

4.3. people inherently have the capacity to acquire language

4.4. Acquisition of syntactic knowledge