Language acquisition is a significant milestone in early childhood with lexical acquisition beginning as early as six months, and starting before an infant ever speaks their first word (Gervain & Mehler, 2010). Understanding and later speaking their native language will prove to be an important skill. According to Topping, Dekhinet, and Zeedyk (2012), parent-infant interaction in the first three years is critical to the development of this skill. The brain shows evidence that structural and functional organization for language exists from the start (Gervain & Mehler, 2010), and even prior to birth infants are exposed to language in utero (May, Heinlein, Gervain, & Werker, 2011), with hearing onset in the third trimester. This exposure allows them …show more content…
In order for an infant to benefit from postnatal language exposure the brain must have reached a certain level of maturity (Key, Lambert, Aschner, & Maitre, 2012). The brain processes speech sounds in different areas of the brain dependent upon the gestational age of the infant; those born prematurely (24-32 weeks) were shown to process speech sounds in the frontal and temporal sites, whereas the brain of full term infants (39-41 weeks) processed speech sounds at the midline frontal-central sites (Key et al., 2012). Key et al. (2012), used computer-synthesized consonant-vowel syllables and electrodes to observe the brain activity of the infants while the stimuli was played from speakers at 75dB placed approximately 1m from the infant’s ears. Gestational and postnatal age, independent of one another and in conjunction with one another, were found to have a direct effect on sound discrimination in infants; however, vowel discrimination was not affected by gestational or postnatal age in the same fashion as consonant discrimination, due to vowels being louder, and longer in duration they are typically easier to
This experiment is similar to a correlational design, however, the subjects in this experiment were chosen specifically because of the language they had been predisposed to; their characteristics were extremely similar. Moon compared preexisting “treatments,” the languages they were exposed to before birth. This research design gives a real world sense in terms of how a baby would react if they were to hear a language they had not been exposed to prior. This is a major strength of the natural experiment design. Although, Moon still determined a relationship between the variables; the variables being the language babies were susceptible to before being born and how they reacted to the vowels in each. A limitation of the natural experiment is that the findings may be caused by things other than the language they were exposed to. Moon states that “Additional studies will be necessary to examine whether the results reported here can be generalized to other vowels and languages” (2013). The findings of this research article support the hypothesis that babies are familiar with the language they are predisposed to. Moon writes, “The effect of language experience was significant (F1,75 = 4.95, p = 0.029), with a greater number of sucks overall during the non-native (MNon-native = 7.1, SD = 2.9) than during the native language (MNative = 6.5, SD = 3.3). The results show that the native prototype and its variants received fewer sucking responses than the non-native prototype and its variants” (2013). This supports the idea that babies understand language. They have already started the process of learning language. The news article does report that it is important to keep in mind that the language we speak to a pregnant belly affects the language foundation of the baby. Mann’s article correctly presents the information of the research article. We must keep in mind that babies are aware of language they are
World War II, known as the largest armed conflict in history, began in Europe in the 1930s and led to effect many people. The war resulted in not only the involvement of more countries than any other war but also introduced powerful, new, nuclear weapons that also contributed to the most deaths. As Hitler rose to power in 1933 the Holocaust began, his quest for the ‘perfect’ race resulted in the use of concentration camps, which would help to create the largest genocide of people in history.
When most people think of the process of language development in “normal” children, the concepts that come to mind are of babies imitating, picking up sounds and words from the speakers around them. Trying to imagine that a child who cannot hear one single sound a person makes can learn to speak a language is absolutely fascinating. These children range from amazin...
In the process of human infants’ development, infants start to learn how to communicate with the others at the surprising early age, for example: Newborns can follow objects to make saccades to peripheral targets (Farroni et al., 2004);Infants’ responding eye gaze behaviour increase constantly since two months old (Scaife & Bruner, 1975); Cooper and Aslin pointed out that this preference showed up as early as the infants were one month old in 1990. Infants not only can respond to eye contact, vocal cues also are used for gaining more reference information during a communication, particularly when the speech is conducted forward to the infants. It had been reported in many studies that infants show more preference to infant-directed communication
Soderstrom, M. (2007). Beyond baby talk: Re-evaluating the nature and content of speech input to preverbal infants. Developmental Review, 27(4), 501-532.
There are three main theories of child language acquisition; Cognitive Theory, Imitation and Positive Reinforcement, and Innateness of Certain Linguistic Features (Linguistics 201). All three theories offer a substantial amount of proof and experiments, but none of them have been proven entirely correct. The search for how children acquire their native language in such a short period of time has been studied for many centuries. In a changing world, it is difficult to pinpoint any definite specifics of language because of the diversity and modification throughout thousands of millions of years.
"The principles and rules of grammar are the means by which the forms of language are made to correspond with the universal froms of thought....The structures of every sentence is a lesson in logic."
Eric Lenneberg was the first to propose there existed a critical period to learn a first or native language that was between that began around two and ended with the onset of puberty around thirteen years old. Lenneberg theorized that language acquisition was not possible before age two because of a lack of maturation, while post-puberty acquisition is inhibited by a loss of cerebral placicity occuring when the cerebral dominance of the language function is complete, happening around the time of puberty (Kraschen). “Children deprived of language during this critical period show atypical patterns of brain lateralization” (intro to language) Lenneberg argued that lateralization of the brain during this critical period is key to language acquisition. “The human brain is primed to develop language in specific areas of the left hemisphere but the normal process of brain specialization depends on ear...
Consequently, usually around the sixth month, the infant begins to babble. A large variety of sounds are produced in this period, many of them do not considered occur in the language of the household. During this period, children are learning to distinguish between the sound that are part of their language, and the one which does not. In the stage of babbling, children are learnt to maintain the correct sounds and suppressed the one which are incorrect.
Child development language is a process by which children come to communicate and understand language during early childhood. This usually occurs from birth up to the age of five. The rate of development is usually fast during this period. However, the pace and age of language development vary greatly among children. Thus, the language development of a child is usually compared with norms rather than with other individual children. It is scientifically proven that development of girls language is usually at a faster rate than that of boys. (Berk, 2010) In other terms language development is also a crucial factor that reflects the growth and maturation of the brain. However, this development usually retards after the age of five making it very difficult for most children to continue learning language. There are two major types of language development in children. These include referential and expressive language development styles. In referential language development, children often first speak single words and then join the words together, first into –word sentences and then into th...
Language is multifaceted. It contains both verbal and non-verbal aspects that children seem to acquire quickly. Before birth, virtually all the neurons (nerve cells) are formed, and they migrate into their proper locations in the brain in the infant. When a baby is born, it can see and hear and smell and respond to touch, but their perceptions are limited at such a young age. The brain stem, a primitive region that controls vital functions like heartbeat and breathing, has completed its wiring. Elsewhere the connections between neurons are wispy and weak. But over the first few months of life, the brain’s higher centers explode with new synapses. “For the large majority of people, the dominant area in language processing is in the middle of the left hemisphere of the brain, in particular in Broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Area” (Siegler, 1998, p. 142). This helps an ...
... (p. 116). In her article, “Babies Prove Sound Learners,” Sohn (2008), states, “Such studies show that, up to about 6 months of age, babies can recognize all the sounds that make up all the languages in the world” (para.24). B.K. Skinner suggest that the materialization of language is the result of imitation and reinforcement. According to Craig and Dunn (2010), “Language development is linked to cognitive development that, in turn, depends on the development of the brain, on physical and perceptual abilities, and on experiences. Biological and social factors also jointly influence the early development of emotion and personality” (p. 117). In her article, A natural history of early language experience. Hart (2000), states, “Talking is important for children, because complexity of what children say influences the complexity of other people’s response” (para. 1).
Eric Lenneberg was first to propose a critical period for acquisition of a first or native language beginning around age two, and ending with the onset of puberty. Lenneberg theorized that language acquisition was not possible before age two because of a lack of maturation; and later language acquisition was inhibited by a loss of cerebral plasticity. Lenneberg believed brain lateralization occurred around the time of puberty when the cerebral dominance of the language function is complete. Arguing that the left hemisphere houses specific areas readied for language acquisition, with studies of children who have exposure to language withheld through this critical period show “atypical patterns of brain lateralization”. Lateralization is key during this critical period as children naturally and easily acquire the skills for ...
The aim of this essay is to explore language acquisition and compare and contrast different theories of language acquisition and language development. Language in its most basic form is used to communicate our needs and wants. It encompasses a range of modes of delivery including signing, spoken and written words, posture, eye contact, facial expressions and gestures. So how do we learn ‘language’? Are we born with the skills for communication, or is it something that we have to learn or have taught to us? Four theories are looked at in this essay to determine how children acquire and then develop language. These theories include behaviourist, nativist, cognitivist and sociocultural. This essay will highlight some similarities and differences in each theory and what impact these have on a child’s acquisition and development of language. Lastly we will look at the implications of these theories when working with children. Can a classroom teacher deliver a quality literacy program based on just one of these theories or does it need to incorporate components of all four? Sims, (2012) pp. 21 states ‘’High-quality learning experiences in the early years of life enhance children’s cognitive and language skills’’. This places a great responsibility on educators and teachers alike to provide an environment which is rich in learning opportunities that will encourage both the acquisition and development of language.
Children’s acquisition of language has long been considered one of the uniquely defining characteristics of human behaviour.