CLA Theorists

Chomsky (1959)

Who: a theorist who supported the nature debate = believed we are born with innate ability to use language.
What: LAD - Language Acquisition Device. His theory suggests we are pre-programmed with this deep structure so that language can devlop. Chomsky's theory explains how children can understand sentences they've never heard before
Refuting this theory: Bard and Sachs (1977) argue that children don't learn to speak automatically. They need to communicate and interact with others – innateness alone is not enough.

"wrong when he suggests that children are born with detailed linguistic knowledge which is triggered by only minimal exposure to language"

B.F. Skinner (1959)

Who: a behaviourist theorist who supported the nurture debate.
What: language is gained through imitation and reinforcement. Aproval for a caregiver means that the child has more motivation to say it that way the next time.
Refuting this thoery: Children have to learn tens of thousands of words and complex grammar and syntax in a very short space of time. Virtuos errors are not from immitation such as "I cleaning my tooth" because caregivers/adults don't speak like that.

Piaget (1936)

Who: took a cognitive approach to language development.
What: Piaget observes that children initially view themselves as the centre of the universe believing that objects exist only in relation to themselves. At around 18 months children begin to realise that objects have an existence that is nothing to do with them. About relationship between language and thought.
Refuting this theory: though the theory only seems to stand up for the first 18 months of a child's life.
http://www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html

Lenneburg

Who: came up with the Critical Acquisition Hypothesis.
What: children need to be learning language before the ages of 12 - 13 and that once this period has passed language learning slowed down or in effect was no longer possible. Examples come from Geni and Victor (the feral child).
Refuting this theory: Some ask the question: Were Genie and Victor intellectually damaged from birth and incapable of learning how to speak?
Other ask: Were the speech therapists and specialists' methods inadequate in helping Genie and Victor? Would they have fared better in the care of others?


Vygostky (1978)
What: argued that a child is only able to acquire language when they are interacting with people in their environment and, in particular, in co-operation with his peers. Obviously, neither Genie nor Victor had the opportunity to do this.
http://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html

Brunner

Who: suggests there is a LASS = Language Acquisition Support System.
What: caregiver support children's language development through social situations.
http://www.simplypsychology.org/bruner.html 

Deb Roy (2010)

Who: theorist who filmed his son's development from 0 - 3. Named it the Speech Home Project.
What: that children's semantical ability outstrips their phonological ability. Also, caregivers scaffold their children's language, converge to it and use CDS.

Test yourself: http://quizlet.com/23965396/child-language-acquisition-theorists-flash-cards/
(there are some on here though which we won't use but there are the basics)
Click here for more: http://www.simplypsychology.org/language.html