Theories of language
learning
(Assisting Material for MA 3rd Sem, IGNTU)
The theories of language
learning are also called the theories of language acquisition. These are
related to the language acquisition process of a child. The human baby learns
the language of his social environment by his own effort in a very short time. The
theories of language learning or language acquisition try to find out the way
and process through which the human baby learns his native language or mother
tongue.
There are four main
theories of language acquisition:
(1) Behaviourist theory
(2) cognitive theory
(3) linguistic theory
(4) interactionist theory
Let we see these in short
detail-
(1) Behaviourist Theory
The Behaviourist Theory of
Language Acquisition says that the mind of human is like a Blank slate, when he
borns. He learns everything from his environment. B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) is renowned
psychologist of this stream. He says that language acquisition and development
are learned behaviors.
This Theory has the idea
of two types of learning conditions- classical conditioning. and operant
conditioning.
(a) Classical conditioning
The process of learning
through associating events is known as classical conditioning. The physiologist
Ivan Pavlov's famous dog experiment, has led to worldwide recognition of
classical conditioning. It states that
someone (or something) comes to associate two things together in either a
positive or a negative way. The example of the dog salivating when someone who
feeds them approaches, even if that someone does not actually have food on
them.
Psychologist John B.
Watson then seized on Pavlov's theories and used them to argue that language
production results from stimuli which produces an association.
(b) Operant conditioning
The process of learning through
rewards and punishments is known as operant conditioning.
There is also a third aspect
of behaviorism that is called observation and imitation. It beliefs that
the human child observes the things and the people surrounded him and imitates
them, and he learns the language and other things through this process.
L. Bloomfield leads the behaviourist
approach in Linguistics.
(2) Cognitive Theory
This theory is also called
‘The cognitive learning theory of language development’. The renowned psychologist
Jean Piaget is the leading scholar of this approach. He is a Swiss
developmental psychologist. He argued that language skills develop in 04 stages-
·
Sensorimotor Stage (birth to age two)
·
Preoperational Stage (ages two to seven)
·
Concrete Operational Stage (ages seven to around eleven)
·
Formal Operational Stage (ages twelve onward)
These stages are related
to our cognition. The process of language acquisition and learning is gradual
and progressive. It also interrelated with age and environmental factors.
(3) Linguistic Theory
This theory is also called
the ‘Linguistic learning theory’. Some people say it ‘innatist theory of language acquisition’. It
is related to Chomsky’s Idea of ‘Language Acquisition Device’ (LAD), which says
that every human mind has an innate linguistic ability to learn a language. In
childhood a little bit support from surroundings is needed to learn a language
through this device.
(4) Interactionist Theory.
This theory is based on
the work of Jerome Bruner. It focuses on the relationship between Surroundings
and children, when the children learn a language. This theory beliefs that the
process of language acquisition also depends on the Interaction between these
two. This means the socio-cultural perspectives also affect the process of
learning. Bruner argues that even a very young learner can acquire complex
knowledge if appropriately organized instruction.
Unlike the stages proposed
by Piaget, the interactionist theory is not age-driven.
References :
https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-language-acquisition-theories-stages-quiz.html
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED512896.pdf
https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/english/language-acquisition/theories-of-language-acquisition/
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2106.14612
