Child Language Development

THE TRADITIONAL DEBATE: 

Nativist: Chomsky 

Humans have a unique inbuilt language facility (LAD) which explains ourability to develop language. 

All human languages share a universal grammar (UG) which underpins their surface structures. 

Shown through children's linguistic creativity: they create utterances that they couldn't have heard of before. 

Principles – these apply to all languages and give children a useful starting point. 

Parameters – these vary according to the languages the child is learning are 'set' by hearing that language spoken 

Constrains – there are not possible in any language and help children avoid certain types of errors. 

BUT children do not suddenly stop making errors – Theakston et al. (2005) 

 Skinner 

Cognitive: 

Often linked to Piaget and Vygotsky, these approaches foreground how children learn languages. 

Interactionist: 

Associated with Jerome Bruner's work on Child-directed speech (CDS). 

Looks at the…