1. Cognitive Developmental Perspective
1.1. The cognitive developmental perspective is based in the work of Jean Piaget
1.1.1. The emphasis of this perspective is that language is acquired as maturation occurs and cognitive competencies develop.
1.1.1.1. The cognitive developmental perspective encourages teachers to pay close attention to a child’s stage of cognitive development and use that knowledge to appropriately plan learning activities.
2. Behaviorist Perspective
2.1. The behaviorist perspective emphasizes the role of “nurture” and considers learning to occur based on the stimuli, responses, and reinforcements that occur in the environment.
2.2. John B. Watson is often considered the father of behaviorism.
2.2.1. language is “taught” through situations in which children are encouraged to imitate others’ speech and to develop associations between verbal stimuli (i.e., words) and objects
3. Nativist Perspective
3.1. The nativist perspective emphasizes inborn or innate human capabilities (i.e., “nature”) as being responsible for language development.
3.1.1. Linguist Noam Chomsky is the major theorist associated with the nativist perspective.
3.2. Through the acquisition process, children construct their knowledge of the ways language is used and manipulated.
3.2.1. This process is sometimes referred to as hypothesis testing. Children test their hypotheses or sets of assumptions of how language is spoken, articulated, used, and manipulated.
4. Interactionist Perspective
4.1. The interactionist perspective focuses on the primary role of sociocultural interaction in children’s development of language knowledge
4.1.1. This perspective contends that children acquire language through their attempts to communicate with the world around them.
4.1.1.1. The main theorist associated with interactionist theory is Lev Vygotsky.