The reality is that the universal grammar theory attempts to lay general structures that can be traced among languages. Therefore, if a constant 'X' is true then 'Y' will be equally true. It puts down how all languages expand when subjected to a given set of fundamental principles. With these principles, universal grammar enables us to try out word order prediction in languages, the phonemes, syntax etc.
Several linguists hold that the universal grammar and its linkage to the other parts of the brain is the machinery that enables children to be fluent in whichever language in their childhood. This is the most critical stage of language learning in the life of human beings. It is also argued under this theory that children have a higher ability to learn second languages in natural settings than adults. Adults however, have a higher ability to consciously learn a second language in artificial…...
mlaReferences
Chomsky Noam, (1996). Powers and Prospects: Reflections on Human Nature and the Social
Order. Boston: South End Press. Retrieved May 12, 2010 from http://www.amazon.com/Powers-Prospects-Reflections-nature-social/.../0896085368
Gardner, (1983). Frames of Mind: the Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Harper
Collins. Retrieved May 12, 2010 from http://www.perseusbooksgroup.com/basic/book_detail.jsp?isbn=0465025102
The environment that language acquisition occurs in, whether it is a first or a second language being acquired, is also hugely influential on the development of that language. It is only in context that a language with inherent ambiguities can be understood at a level of fluency, and if the environment surrounding the language learner does not help to reinforce the rules and/or vocabulary of that language, then language acquisition becomes more difficult (Freeman & Freeman 2004; Wilson 2000). In addition, things as basic and yet fundamental to all types of learning such as anxiety levels and self-confidence can also have huge effects on language learning, especially during second language acquisition (Wilson 2000).
My views generally align with the dominant view in this course, namely that second language acquisition is best facilitated by instilling the linguistic concepts known to assist in first language acquisition into second language learners (Freeman & Freeman…...
mlaReferences
Freeman, D. & Freeman, Y. (2004). Essential Linguistics: What You Need to Know to Teach Reading, ESL, Spelling, Phonics, and Grammar. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Galasso, J. (2003). "First and second language acquisition." Techni Studios. Accessed 17 September 2009. http://www.csun.edu/~galasso/lang1.htm
Wilson, R. (2000). "A Summary of Stephen Krashen's "Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition." Language impact. http://www.languageimpact.com/articles/rw/krashenbk.htm
In the final analysis, people have been learning how to acquire language for millennia without the assistance of scientific investigation, but the need for young people to do so quickly in an increasingly multicultural country and globalized marketplace is more important than ever before because they will probably have to learn a second (or third) language at their earliest opportunity.
eferences
Birdsong, D. (1999). Second language acquisition and the critical period hypothesis. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. This book examines reasons why very young learners might be subject to a critical period for language acquisition.
Costa, A.., Mcilvane, W.J., & Wilkinson, K.M. (2001). Emergent word-object mapping by children: Further studies using the blank comparison technique. The Psychological ecord, 51(3), 343. This study confirmed the usefulness of the blank comparison technique in emergent mapping research and provided the first data set from school-aged children.
Danby, S. (2002). The communicative competence of young children. Australian…...
mlaReferences
Birdsong, D. (1999). Second language acquisition and the critical period hypothesis. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. This book examines reasons why very young learners might be subject to a critical period for language acquisition.
Costa, A.R., Mcilvane, W.J., & Wilkinson, K.M. (2001). Emergent word-object mapping by children: Further studies using the blank comparison technique. The Psychological Record, 51(3), 343. This study confirmed the usefulness of the blank comparison technique in emergent mapping research and provided the first data set from school-aged children.
Danby, S. (2002). The communicative competence of young children. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 27(3), 25. The author is a classroom teacher who emphasized the importance of individual differences in learning ability and how these affect the teacher's need for judicious application of classroom management techniques to avoid frustrating early language acquisition.
Dixon, W.E., Jr., & Smith, P.H. (2000). Links between early temperament and language acquisition. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 46(3), 417. This was a study of mothers and 40 toddlers to investigate relationships between language acquisition and temperamental attentional control and positive affectivity.
Finally, nativists must concede that culture and native language can shape ideas in the long run. After all, a person's cultural surroundings seem to greatly affect their interpretation of experiences over the course of their life (Bowerman and Choi 475-476). The difference in how much those cultural experiences affect an individual and their language, as well as when such effects happen, is what makes up the entire debate between "nature" and "nurture" in language development.
orks Cited
Behrens, Heike. "Cognitive-conceptual Development and the Acquisition of Grammatical Morphemes: the Development of Time Concepts and Verb Tense." Language Acquisition and Conceptual Development Eds. Melissa Bowerman, and Steven Levinson. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press, 2001. 450-474.
Bowerman, Melissa, and Soonja Choi. "Shaping Meanings for Language: Universal and Language-Specific in the Acquisition of Spatial Semantic Categories." Language Acquisition and Conceptual Development Eds. Melissa Bowerman, and Steven Levinson. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press, 2001. 475-511.
Brown, Penelope. "Learning…...
mlaWorks Cited
Behrens, Heike. "Cognitive-conceptual Development and the Acquisition of Grammatical Morphemes: the Development of Time Concepts and Verb Tense." Language Acquisition and Conceptual Development Eds. Melissa Bowerman, and Steven Levinson. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press, 2001. 450-474.
Bowerman, Melissa, and Soonja Choi. "Shaping Meanings for Language: Universal and Language-Specific in the Acquisition of Spatial Semantic Categories." Language Acquisition and Conceptual Development Eds. Melissa Bowerman, and Steven Levinson. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press, 2001. 475-511.
Brown, Penelope. "Learning to Talk About Motion Up and Down in Tzeltal: Is There a Language-Specific Bias for Verb Learning?" Language Acquisition and Conceptual Development Eds. Melissa Bowerman, and Steven Levinson. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press, 2001. 512-543.
Maratsos, Michael and Matheny, Laura. "Language Specificity and Elasticity: Brain and Clinical Syndrome Studies." Annual Review of Psychology 1994: 487-506.
A good starting point is identifying the factors that influence ELL student performance. According to Mitsutomi & McDonald, these factors include motivation, linguistic and cultural identity, study strategies, tolerance for ambiguity, and sociocultural support.
Although these factors provide a generic indication of the difficulties faced by ELL students, it is also recognized that each student is an individual, and enters the school system under widely varying circumstances and with differing expectations. Notably, the acquisition of English is hardly at all found to be influenced by whether or not the student had studied English as a foreign language in the home country.
These findings have some specific implications for the classroom. In the practical sense, teachers must recognize their own need to become sensitive not only to the language, but also to the culture needs of ELL students. As such, they need to develop a background in foreign languages and culture in…...
mlaReference
Mitsutomi, Maro & McDonald, VeraLynn (2005, Summer). Factors in learning Second Language and Culture. Academic Exchange Quarterly. Retrieved from database: FindArticles.com. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3325/is_2_9/ai_n29205522/pg_5/?tag=content;col1
Learning language is not much different from learning other skills, but it can be a highly complex process. For example, if human beings did not communicate using complex systems of language but instead relied on simple nouns and verbs, we would all sound like what we imagine "cave men" sounded like. "Food good," and other simple sentences do not demand mastery of grammar and in theory, such simple languages could be learned by young children easily. However, from the moment they are born, children are exposed to the voices of others, to the sounds and structures of their culture's language systems. Because they are constantly bombarded with language from people and from television, children start to form primitive sentences from an early age. One of the reasons why people who are born deaf often have difficulty speaking is because of their inability to hear and thereby imitate the sounds and…...
Linguistics, Language Acquisition, & Pronoun Errors in Children
The acquisition of language is not a seamless process. All humans encounter errors as part of their linguistic development and practice. Humans around the world and across languages encounter similar behavior patterns as they grow into adults and gain linguistic fluency in their native languages. One such repeating phenomenon in English of note is the act of young children to misuse pronouns, using the word "me" when the correct word is "I." There are several ideas regarding how and why many children go through a stage in their linguistic development where they misuse pronouns. This paper will explore and critique the ideas of experts in several field including linguistics and language acquisition. The paper will propose and provide evidence for several factors that contribute to this speech phenomenon. The paper will show that this particular speech act is a result of the interaction…...
mlaReferences:
Kirajavainen, M., Theakston, A, & Lieven, E. 2009. Can input explain children's me-for-I errors? Journal of Child Language, 36, 1091 -- 1114.
Rispoli, M. 1998. Me or My: Two Different Patterns of Pronoun Case Errors. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 41(2), 385 -- 393.
Rispoli, M. 2005. When children reach beyond their grasp: why some children make pronoun case errors and others don't. Journal of Child Language, 32, 93 -- 116.
Sag, I.A., Wasow, T., & Bender, E.M. 2003. Syntactic theory: a formal introduction. Center for the Study of Language and Information: Stanford, CA.
Language Acquisition" by J. Crawford, covers how people acquire a second language, and some "persistent problems" with how we teach a second language in America today. The author briefly covers a history of language acquisition, and how early omans used "conversational dialogues" to help teach children many other languages, and how that method gradually altered throughout history, to the "grammar-translation approach" we tend to lean toward today. He also mentions some other less common methods that seem to show good results, such as the "direct" method, and the "audiolingual" method. The author also brings up many differing theories of language acquisition, and asks many questions about how students learn and teachers teach a second language. In fact, the author also raises questions about some techniques, and maintains they may be actually preventing children from learning another language, no matter how well thought of or well-executed they are. Clearly, while…...
mlaReferences
Crawford, J. "Basic Research on Language Acquisition."
Language Acquisition
The language theory
According to Krashen 'communication' is the purpose of a language. Focusing on communicative abilities is just as important. The relevance of 'meaning' is also stressed upon. According to Terrell and Krashen, a language has its very own lexicon. The stress on vocabulary is apparent here and language is seen as a means to 'communicate meanings' as well as 'messages'. 'Acquisition' takes place in case where people understand messages in TL, according to Krashen. Natural Approach consists of 'messages', 'structures' and 'lexical items' in plain view. Production and perception are two lexicons on which clarification of messages and organization is dependent upon. According to Krashen, acquisition is a mere combination of rules of the language by employing language for communication. Linguistic competence is only attained by 'input' which contains structures at 'interlanguage+1' level (i+1). It is obtained by " comprehensible input'.
Learning theory of language
In his second theory…...
mlaReferences
Bates, E., Thal, D., & Janowsky, J. (1992). Early language development and its neural correlates. In I. Rapin, & S. Segalowitz, Handbook of neuropsychology (Vol. 7). Amsterdam, netherlands: Elsevier.
Brown, R., & Hanlon, C. (1970). Derivational Complexity and order of Acquisition in Child speech. In R. Hayes, Cognition and the Development of Language (pp. 11-53). New York, NY: John Wiley.
Bruner, j. (1983). Childs Talk:Learning to use language. New York, NY: Norton and company.
Chomsky, N. (1959). Review of B.F. Skinners Verbal Behavior. Language, 35 (1), 26-58.
It seems unbelievable how infants go from not knowing anything at all, to knowing how to express themselves in every way they can. They first learn how to tell their parents what they want by either pointing or yelling until they get what it is that they want, to actually putting words together to tell them exactly in the language that parents will understand. The question still arises as to how they learn so quickly. The idea that babies come preprogrammed to learn how to speak has been debated among scholars for ages. It seems to be the most plausible hypothesis since language is learned so early on in life.
The fact that so much brain processes go into the language development stage gives a lot of evidence to how innate language really is. When certain areas of the brain are either damaged, or not fully evolved, language deficiencies present…...
Children and Language
Language Acquisition in Children
Language development in children takes a certain, predictable pattern. This pattern, also called "production," has certain important characteristics, seen in many children. First, one will note, that a baby aged 0-2 months will employ vegetative sounds, such as burps, cries and coughs. In this first stage, these sounds will be involuntary, but they nonetheless signify communication. The first real communication is anywhere from 2-3 months, and is exemplified by a baby's cooing sounds. Then, from 4-6 months, a baby will start uttering consonants, such as "g" and "k," but not real syllables. However, in this third stage, a baby will experiment with volume and pitch. Then, from 7-9 months, a baby will start canonical babbling and will start uttering syllables. Lastly, from 8-12 months, a baby will reduplicate its babbling (i.e. gagaga).[footnoteef:1] [1: All the facts above are taken from the source provided by the…...
mlaReferences taken from document provided by customer, various pages. ]
The answer to the question examined above is thus quite complex, and it holds keys for further studies, for although much of language development remains a mystery, inherent in comprehending this process is also a key to understanding how to best help children who are having trouble expressing themselves. The utilization of language by a child is clearly seen to be a tool for that child to express itself and to attain desired outcomes. This will, of course, vary from child to child, as some children will express themselves more clearly and others will have trouble doing so. What is important to see, however, is the fact that language is utilized at length by a child, even if poorly, as sounds are vital for a child to express itself and obtain that which he or she wants.
ilingual First Language Acquisition
ilingual Paradox
ilingual Deficit Hypothesis
Unitary Language System Hypothesis
ilingual Advantage Hypothesis
Differentiated Language System Hypothesis
Vocabulary Development
The MacArthur CDI
Linguistic Milestones
Lexical Identifiers
Translation Equivalents
Interlocutor Sensitivity
Language Choice
Codemixing
Parental Discourse Strategies
Early Constraints
It is common knowledge that all over the globe young children seem to effortlessly acquire two or more languages at one time. Yet some uphold the belief that children who are exposed to multiple languages too early (with the dividing line as to what is "too early" being a gray area) may experience developmental language delays and/or confusion. Scientific research has attempted to examine whether young bilinguals can ascertain that they are acquiring two separate and distinct languages early on. (Watson, 1996) We will examine the criteria for measuring early language development, the concepts associated with ascertaining a child's developmental progress, the research supporting the prevailing theories and the significant findings inherent in credible research in these areas.
Research and Analysis
ilingual Paradox
The line of thought that…...
mlaBibliography
Akhtar, Nameera (2002). Relevance and Early World Learning. Journal of Child
Language, 29, 677-686.
Braungart-Rieker, J. M, Karrass, J., Lefever, J.B., & Mullins, J. (2002). Processes in language acquisition the roles of gender, attention, and maternal encouragement of attention over time. Journal of Child Language, 8, 519-541.
Capute, A.J. Palmer, F.B. Shapiro, B.K. Wachtel, R.C. Schmidt, S. & Ross, A. (1986).
First, Spanish sounds different from English in terms of vowel sounds, sentence stress, and timing. (Shoebottom, 2007, Spanish). In addition, Spanish speakers can confront grammar problems when learning English, "although Spanish is a much more heavily inflected language than English, there are many aspects of verb grammar that are similar. The major problem for the Spanish learner is that there is no one-to-one correspondence in the use of the tenses. So, for example, a Spanish learner might incorrectly use a simple tense instead of a progressive or a future one." (Shoebottom, 2007, Spanish). Moreover, because these issues reflect basic differences between the two languages, progressive learning in Spanish does not translate to better English ability.
In addition, the fact that English and Spanish share a common base language should make some aspects of English acquisition easier for the Spanish speaker than for the Arabic speaker. In fact, there are several…...
mlaReferences
Ahmad, N. (2004). Arab-American culture and health care. Retrieved November 16, 2007 from Case Western Reserve University
Web site: http://www.case.edu/med/epidbio/mphp439/Arab-Americans.htm
Al-Jarf, R. (2006). Making connections in vocabulary instruction. Retrieved November 17, 2007, from Education Resources Information Center. Web site: true&eric_viewStyle=list&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=arabic+english+second+language&searchtype=basic&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=kw&pageSize=10&eric_displayNtriever=false&eric_displayStartCount=21&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&objectId=0900019b801c8959&accno=ED497939&_nfls=falsehttp://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal?_nfpb
Associated Press. (2007). Census numbers show education divide among immigrant groups.
How do you (or would you) integrate technology with literacy instruction? Share your best idea with your colleagues.I would used technology as a means to supplement traditional classroom instruction. Students often learn in different and varying ways. By utilizing multiple sources of instruction, students can have a differentiated and much more enriching learning experience.What other information or tools do you need to successfully integrate technology and literacy instruction? Ask your colleagues for input.In terms of information, have a recent and up to date curriculum will be needed. Here it is important to have strong standards that incorporate the latest learnings in education. From a tools standpoint, it will be important to have software and equipment that can be used by students in the learning journey. Equipment would include tablets, strong internet connection, and other computers. Software would include e-books, learning software, a video conferencing software.How can technology be leveraged to…...
mlaReferences
1. Abrahamsson, N., and Hyltenstam, K. (2008). The robustness of aptitude effects in near-native second language acquisition. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 30(4), 481-509.
Linguistics Application and eflection: Challenges of English Syntax
Passive voice: 1) "We are governed by men we have never heard of." 2) "We are given a set of tools to work with." 3) "The audience is driven by the images on the screen."
Comparatives: 1) "The more it appears on signs, the more it is accepted as normal." 2) "No one believes things are so good that they could not be better."
Logical Connectors: 1) "Therefore, there is only one way forward." 2) "Neither effective argument nor impassioned speeches will dissuade the viewer from the idea embedded in him by the image."
Modal Auxiliary Verbs: 1) "They will keep coming, one after another." 2) "One would do well to consider the ramifications of such a line of thought."
Verbal Phrases: 1) "Giving in is just the beginning of this process." 2) "The viewer does not have time to think over what is being shown."
elative Clauses:…...
mlaReferences
Freeman, D. E. and Freeman, Y. S. (2014). Essential Linguistics: What You
Need to Know to Teach Reading, ESL, Spelling, Phonics, Grammar. Chapter 6., Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Krashen, S. D. (2003). Explorations in Language Acquisition and Use. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.
Language development refers to the process by which infants develop their language skills. Understanding how speech and language develop, as well as understanding speech milestones, can help people assess whether a person’s language development is on-time or is experiencing delays.
Language Development Essay Topics / Essay Titles
1. The importance of providing constructive feedback on oral presentations in language learning
2. Strategies for effectively correcting pronunciation errors in speaking exercises
3. The role of error correction in enhancing oral proficiency
4. Balancing correction and encouragement in feedback on oral work
5. The impact of correction techniques on student motivation and confidence in speaking
6. Incorporating peer feedback in oral correction activities
7. Using technology to enhance the correction process in oral work
8. Common errors in oral work and effective strategies for correcting them
9. The challenges of providing feedback on spontaneous speaking tasks
10. The relationship between error correction and language learning outcomes in oral....
Certainly! Here are some ideas for essay topics related to language development:
1. The role of parental language input in early language acquisition
2. The impact of bilingualism on language development in children
3. Language development in children with speech and language disorders
4. The effects of technology on language development in young children
5. The relationship between socio-economic status and language development
6. The benefits of early intervention and speech therapy for children with language delays
7. The development of pragmatics and social communication skills in children
8. The influence of culture on language development
9. The role of play in language acquisition and....
Language Development Essay Topics
1. The Role of Caregivers in Language Acquisition
How do caregivers' language input, interaction, and scaffolding contribute to infants' and young children's language development?
What are the effects of different types of caregiver-child interactions on language acquisition?
How can interventions targeting caregivers improve the language development of children with language delays?
2. The Influence of Socioeconomic Status on Language Development
How does children's socioeconomic status impact their language development?
What are the underlying factors that mediate this relationship?
What can be done to mitigate the negative effects of socioeconomic disparities on language development?
3. The Development of Bilingualism
What....
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