Lifespan Development - Language Development

Question 1

What is the learning theory of language aquisition?

Answer 1

Imitation and reinforcement

Question 2

What is the nativist theory of language aquisition?

Answer 2

Innate lang acquisition device so children can understand language once sufficiently exposed

Languages have the same underlying grammatical structure.

Question 3

What is the social interactionist theory of language aquisition?

Answer 3

Dependent on bio (readiness) and social factors (e.g., parentese)

Question 4

What language aquisition approach is most effective for deaf children?

Answer 4

Bimodal-bilingual approach

Sign language benefits spoken aquisition.

Question 5

What are phonemes?

Answer 5

Smallest units of language

Question 6

What are morphemes?

Answer 6

Smallest meaningful units of language that lose meaning if further divided (bound and unbound)

Question 7

What is syntax?

Answer 7

Rules for making sentences

Question 8

What are semantics?

Answer 8

Literal meaning

Question 9

What are pragmatics?

Answer 9

Non/verbal language in context

Question 10

What is paralanguage?

Answer 10

How something is said (prosody: stress, tone, rhythm)

Question 11

What are the three types of cries, and what do they indicate?

Answer 11

• Low pitched and rhythmic: hunger or discomfort
• Shrill and irregular: anger
• Loud and high-pitched with silence: pain

Optimal maternal response depends on cry severity.

Question 12

Describe the language milestones.

Answer 12

• 1.5-2 mo.: cooing (vowels)
• 3-6 mo.: babbling (consonants). Narrows to native language by 9 mo.
• 8-9 mo: understand words
• 9 mo. echolalia: nonunderstanding word repetition
• 10-15 mo.: first word (familiar things or actions)
• 12-15 mo.: holophrastic speech: word + gesture/intonation to convey thought
• 18 mo.: vocabulary spurt
• 18-24 mo.: telegraphic speech: two words
• 24-26 mo.: simple sentences (declarative first)

Question 13

What is overextension?

Answer 13

Using a word too broadly

Question 14

What is underextension?

Answer 14

Using a word too narrowly

Question 15

What is overregularization?

Answer 15

The misapplication of grammatical rules (e.g., “telled”, “feets”)

Question 16

At what age do language development errors occur?

Answer 16

2-3