Learning Acquisition Theories - Essay Example

Describe in detail, the two methods of language acquisition. Language is the platform through which humans communicate. According to Chomsky, language is “a set (finite or infinite) of sentences, each finite in length and constructed out of a finite set of elements” (Chomsky, 1957, p. 13). Over the centuries, several theories of language have been developed by various theorists citing different factors accountable for linguistic acquisition. The two basic methods of language acquisition are the “learning perspective” and the “nativist perspective” which shall be discussed.

The learning perspective advocates the fact that children imitate what they see, a theory championed by B.F. Skinner. It is based on Skinner’s theory of cognitive learning which states that behavior is shaped by reinforcement; also known as operant conditioning. The child starts babbling at an earlier age which is then shaped by the parents into proper words, which the child learns over time (Gunes). The child uses the trial-and-error method to learn a language; a positive gesture from the parents when a child pronounces correctly reinforces the behavior and child picks up the words.

Skinner highlights that there are two types of behaviors/responses a child displays when it comes to language acquisition; “mand” and “tact”. Mand is the verbal response which is reinforced when the child gets what he/she wants while tact is behavior imitated of others and is reinforced when the parent(s) approve of what the child says whilst pointing at an object. An example of “mand” is that the child gets a toy car when he points towards a toy car and says it while an instance of “tact” is where the parents point toward a car and say car and when the child imitates and says the word car, the parent(s) approve with a smile or a pat on the back (Gunes).

The other method of language acquisition is the nativist approach advocated by Chomsky. Chomsky holds that the ability to learn a language in innate. The brain has a neural system to which he refers as the “language acquisition device” which decodes language and helps individuals learn it as the universal grammar is the same and languages only differ on the surface (Feldman, 2011). Under this theory, Chomsky also developed the concepts of surface structure (actual presentation of words), transformational grammar (grammar that transforms a sentence) and deep structure (underlying meaning of a sentence) (Campbell & Mailman).

According to Chomsky, when a child listens to those around him, he will immediately start setting parameters, i.e. acquiring what is being spoken with the help of the language acquisition device. The child starts to identify information and classifies them into the various parts of speech as per the universal grammar (Chomsky, Nativist Theory: Chomsky and Language Learning). These are the two most commonly referred to modes of language acquisition which dictate how language is acquired. These emphasize the importance of a child’s early years, biological development and the environment as they play a part in determining a child’s capabilities of learning a language.

2 Outline the third method of language acquisition that is a combination of the two language acquisition methods described in question "1." The third theory of language acquisition, which is a combination of the two theories discusses above is the social interaction theory, also known as the “interactionist” approach to language acquisition. This approach holds that it is a combination of genetic predispositions and the environment which influence language learning (Feldman, 2011). This approach holds that a major influence comes from the child’s caregiver as well as the child’s desire to communicate with those around him/her.

The main theorist who advocates the idea of interactionist learning is Lev Vygotsky who developed the idea of collaborative learning which holds that interaction with older people helps children develop cognitively and linguistically. (Campbell & Mailman) This mode of language learning allows for the development of language in a specific context and hence is not universal. Given this mode of learning, transitions into other environments may be difficult, i.e. it may be difficult for a native English speaker to absorb Japanese language in a short time.

3 Compare and contrast these three theories of language acquisition. The learning perspective and the nativist approach are two ends of a spectrum with the interactionist theory lying in the middle of the two. The learning approach by Skinner and the nativist approach by Chomsky contradict each other as Skinner holds that language is learnt like any other psychomotor skill, i.e. through shaping and reinforcement while Chomsky attributes the learning of language to innate abilities. Considering both of these opinions and also incorporating the effect of an individual’s surroundings is the interactionist theory/approach to linguistic learning.

However, the point of differentiation between social interactionist and nativist approach is that the nativist approach places a greater emphasis on grammar while the interactionist approach concentrates more on the real-life use of language without much regard to grammatical considerations. All the three theories attribute language acquisition to different forms of mechanisms, i.e. directed speech (Skinner), language acquisition device (Chomsky) and the language acquisition support system (Vygotsky) (Gunes).

4 Provide a persuasive argument regarding which theory of language acquisition you believe is correct. None of the theories related to linguistic acquisition is wrong; however, based on the study, the social interactionist theory seems to be the most accurate in explaining the linguistic acquisition process. Based upon observation, it may be noted that when children start babbling they usually utter the same words as children anywhere else in the world which represents the existence of an inbuilt language acquisition device and a universal grammar; but the fact that they stat imitating those around them may not be ignored once slightly developed which is an evidence of the correctness of the nativist approach.

Also, the fact that children usually pick up on words which are being uttered in their surroundings, especially by their guardians and caregivers shows that the social interaction approach is most generalizable and provides an in-depth explanation of how linguistic capabilities are developed. Had either one of the other two theories been correct in their entirety, either there would’ve been people with the same vocabulary (Chomsky) or no two people would’ve shared the same language (Skinner) since the shaping and reinforcement would have created several languages within languages.

The fact that languages exist with different dialects is an evidence of the social interaction between children and people of various societies, races and ethnicities. Bibliography 1. Campbell, A., & Mailman, L. (n.d.). Theories of Language Development. Retrieved April 29, 2012, from Language Development: http://languagedevelopment.tripod.com/id15.html 2. Chomsky, N. (1957). Syntactic Structures. The Hague: Mouton. 3. Chomsky, N. (n.d.). Nativist Theory: Chomsky and Language Learning. Retrieved April 29, 2012, from Vobs.

at: http://www2.vobs.at/ludescher/Ludescher/LAcquisition/Nativist/nativist%20theory.htm 4. Feldman, R. S. (2011). Essentials of Understanding Psychology (Vol. 9). New York: McGraw Hill. 5. Gunes, P. V. (n.d.). Language Acquisition. Retrieved April 29, 2012, from Mimersbrunn: http://www.mimersbrunn.se/Language_Acquisition_5528.htm 6. Johnson, W. (n.d.). Social Interactionist Theory. Retrieved April 29, 2012, from eHow.com: http://www.ehow.com/about_5465173_social-interactionist-theory.html