Theoretical Perspectives

1. Nativist

1.1. Linguist Noam Chomsky

1.2. Nature

1.3. Syntactic

1.4. emphasizes inborn or innate human capabilities (i.e., “nature”) as being responsible for language development

2. Cognitive Developmental

2.1. Jean Piaget

2.2. Semantic

2.3. Morphemic

2.4. Nature

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

3. Behaviorist

3.1. Skinner

3.2. Nuture

3.3. Semantic

3.4. Syntactic

3.5. Morphemic

3.6. considers learning to occur based on the stimuli, responses, and reinforcements that occur in the environment

4. Interactionist

4.1. contends that children acquire language through their attempts to communicate with the world around them

4.2. Vygotsky

4.3. Bruner

4.4. Halliday

4.5. Nuture

4.6. Pragmatic