Four Theoretical Perspectives Linked with SLC
Innateness perspective
This theory suggests that all children are programmed to understand and have a specific innate ability to learn languages and be able to distinguish the mistakes made in a sentence. Innateness behaviours, skills or characteristics are instinctive.
The leading theorist is Noam Chomsky who suggests that children come primed not only ready to learn the language, but also to pick up the rules of grammar. Noam Chomsky says this ability comes from a ‘language acquisition device’ which children from birth use to work out the grammar or linguistic rules of the language that they are exposed to. Babies can pick up any language at first so Noam Chomsky suggests that there must be some structures and rules that are the same in all languages.
He refers to this as ‘Universal grammar’. Noam Chomsky’s theory submits that language consists of both deep structures and surface structures. Outward-facing surface structures relate phonetic rules into sounds and inward-facing deep structures relate words and conceptual meaning. One of the features of innateness is that children learn a language in a certain sequence, this is then reflected in the way that the current framework sets targets for what might be expected of the children according to their age. In the Early Years Foundation stage, these are the Early Years Goals. There is a guidance document called ‘Early Outcomes’ which breaks down expected communication and language development into smaller age-related steps.
Behaviourist perspective
Behaviourism is a theoretical approach that believes children learn language because they are rewarded for it in some way. When babies gain attention and smiles from their parents or family members when they babble it encourages the child to do it more. If parents respond to their children’s speech more positively when they use correct grammar this then helps the children to work out the grammatical constructions.
This theory does not explain why children’s speech is different from adults. For example, two-year-olds use abbreviated speech patterns , such as ‘Me want the book now’, if the child was simply copying they would use a more correct format because adults do not speak like that.
Behaviourist behaviours, skills or characteristics that are learnt as a result of reinforcement. The behaviourist perspective is reflected in the frameworks because there is a focus on children enjoying speaking and gaining positive feedback from early years practitioners. This theory means that if children are enjoying language activities this will then help them to learn.
Constructivist perspective
The constructivist perspective argues that children work out the rules of language and the meanings of words because of cognitive processes. The children draw conclusions from what they see and experience. For example, if a baby notices that every time he/she is given a bottle, and the parent mentions the word ‘milk’. The baby, therefore, comes to the conclusion that ‘milk’ is the word used for what he/she is drinking. The theorist associated with the cognitive perspective of language is Jean Piaget. The current framework suggests that children’s language can be supported through a range of activities, such as the reading of books. The constructive perspective on language would suggest that children learn the meanings of words and the structure of language by drawing conclusions from these experiences.
Sociological perspective
The sociological perspective focuses on language acquisition as a tool to communicate with others. The child learns language as part of their social development. Social perspectives of language development stress the way in which adult-child interactions are different from adult-adult interactions. The sociological perspective suggests that the role of the adult in building a relationship with the child and talking to them would be important in learning the language. Role modelling is also important in language as well as children talking and communicating with each other.
The Early Years Foundation Stage and the National Curriculum both stress the role of the adult in supporting children’s language and identify that children should have opportunities to talk and communicate with each other.
Bibliography
- www.enwikipedia.org/wiki/Noam_Chomsky
- www.firstdiscovers.co.uk/science-childcare-linguistic-development/
- CACHE LEVEL 3 Early Years Educator Book
- http://www.enwikipedia.org/wiki/Noam_Chomsky
- http://www.firstdiscovers.co.uk/science-childcare-linguistic-development/
