How language acquisition effects early years' practice

This article identifies a range of key theories of language acquisition and discusses how they may influence early years’ practice, giving appropriate consideration to the role of significant others and strategies which support early language acquisition and development. Stages of language development and theorists for language acquisition will be identified in this essay followed by implications for practice.

Throughout the early years of a child’s life, many arguments are made about different stages of language development that the child will go through. When looking at the Early Years Statutory Framework, it is highlighted that children must be helped to develop a positive sense of themselves, and others; to form positive relationships and develop respect for others; to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings; to understand appropriate behaviour in groups, and to have confidence in their own abilities. This is important throughout the early years. However, more so through the ages of 22 to 36 months, a child uses language as a powerful way of widening contacts along with sharing experiences and thoughts (Foundation Years, 2014). This is an important time of development linking to social diversity. With grounded social skills, a child will find it much easier to progress through activities and social interactions.

When investigating stages of language development, Sheridan (2008) says that through the ages of 0 and 2 months, the child will produce discomfort cries. At 2 to 4 months of age, the child will start to make pleasure sounds. From the ages of 4 to 9 months, babbling; from 9 to 12 months, the child will use vocalisations with meaning. The first time that the child will begin to verbalise proper words, they will be between 12 and 15 months of age. When the child reaches the ages of 18 to 30 months, they will begin to use word phrases; at 2 ½ to 4 years of age, they will develop syntax; and at between the ages of 4 to 6 years, the child will be able to use adult syntax. Phonology of the verbalisations develop alongside the syntax which gives the child a more than basic understanding of how phonology and syntax work together. Although, Sheridan is a reasonably respected author of child developmental books, Crowley (2014) says “a child’s first words usually emerge between 10 and 13 months of age”. Crowley (2014) does however agree with Sheridan with regards to adult syntax which occurs at around the age of 4 years. This gives a clear understanding that stages of language development are only a vague framework of development and should not be taken as a definitive and concrete set of stages.

One main approach to language acquisition is the ‘Behaviourist’ approach. The behaviourist approach is followed by the theorist; Skinner (1975). He believed that “language is situated within the behaviourist rubric of classical and operant conditioning, that is learning evoked through ‘stimulus and response’ and ‘reward/ punishment’ processes” (Maynard and Powell, 2014). Behaviourism (learning theory) is an extreme ‘nurture’ approach meaning that behaviour is learned and can be shaped (Pound, 2005). Skinner broke tasks down into smaller steps. Each step was reinforced and when it was learned, it was rewarded (Pound 2005). This suggests that children can acquire language through reinforcement. Each mistake should be corrected and a correct verbalisation should be rewarded. Other theorist that supported the behaviourism approach include Pavlov (1849-1936), Bandura (1925- Present day), and Watson (1878-1954) (Pound, 2005). However, this approach does not account for children constructing a new, personal ‘language’ between themselves. Chomsky argued that children were born with a language acquisition device which gives the children an innate knowledge of language structures (Pound, 2005).

Another main approach to language acquisition is the ‘formalist’ approach which suggests that everybody has innate knowledge. “Chomsky claimed that humans must be endowed with a genetic blue print of language, known as Universal Grammar (UG)” (Maynard and Powell, 2014). This is a key argument to behaviourism which implies that it is too simplistic and that it does not capture the underlying complexities of linguistic knowledge. Thus, language is acquired with some guidance by a child will eventually be able to speak with accuracy regarding pragmatics and grammar. This approach also supports learning to read and write as an open and individual process. “Phonemic skills are considered to facilitate the development of phonological recoding whereby the child can identify the sounds represented by the letters in the printed word and blend them together to help them recognise the word” (Crowley, 2014).

The ‘constructivist’ approach is another key argument in the acquisition of language in the early years. Constructivism suggests that social nature of language provides the backdrop to development (Maynard and Powell, 2014) and that knowledge and understanding are constructed by the learner from their experiences (Pound, 2005). Vygotsky (1896 - 1934) supports this approach to learning. “He believed that children’s language was social in origin because it arose in interaction between the child and others” (Pound, 2005). Vygotsky said that children are unable to complete many tasks on their own but they are able to do them an adult’s help and support (Crowley, 2014). “In emphasising the nurture side of learning (the impact of others and the scaffolding they offer to learning), it could be argued that there is not enough emphasis on children’s role in their own development” (Pound 2005).

When looking at language acquisition and development, it is essential to look at the EYFS. It says that development involves giving children opportunities to experience a rich language environment; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves; and to speak and listen in a range of situations. It tells practitioners to provide opportunities for children to develop and use their home language in play and learning, supporting their language development at home and to ensure that children have sufficient opportunities to learn and reach a good standard in the English Language during the early years. Children who learn two language simultaneously in infancy or early childhood show no problems in language development and their acquisition does appear to be qualitatively different from monolingual acquisition (Meisel, 2008 cited in Crowley, 2014)

The EYFS states that a practitioner must enable children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, and design and technology. Development Matters says that a child between 40 and 60 months introduces a storyline or narrative into their play and uses language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences in play situations (The British Association for Early Childhood Education, 2012). This supports the sharing of feelings, thoughts and ideas and also opens opportunities for the use of a wide range of media and materials. This also helps the development of semantics and pragmatics so the child can develop their language, using words for various different meanings and understanding situations correctly.

The EYFS also states that children must be helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food (Foundation years, 2014). Without sufficient vocabulary, children would find it difficult to differentiate between food groups. In development matters, it says that children between the ages of 40 months and 60 months; use talk to organise, sequence, and clarify thinking , ideas, feelings, and events. It is also important to encourage children to link sounds and letters and begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading material to ignite their interest (The British Association for Early Childhood Education, 2012). Crowley (2014) states that according to Ehri (1991, 1995), learning to read words by sight can be seen as a connection-forming process whereby individual written words are linked to their pronunciations and meanings. Phonemic skills are considered to facilitate the development of phonological recoding whereby the child can identify the sounds represented by the letters in the printed word and blend them together to help them recognise the word.

The importance of providing children with opportunities to develop their skills in counting , understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems; and to describe shapes, spaces, and measures is mentioned in the EYFS (Foundation Years, 2014). In order for a child to describe, they must first have the sufficient vocabulary with the specified semantic field. In development matters, children between the ages of 40 ad 60 or more months, extend vocabulary, especially by grouping and naming, exploring the meaning and sounds of new words (The British Association for Early Childhood Education, 2012). Guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe, and find out about people, places, technology, and the environment is also highlighted in the EYFS (Foundation Years, 2014).

There is great debate over the use of parentese (formerly known as ‘motherese’). It has been well documented that the benefits that parentese brings are vast. It is argued that parentese may also play a role in the organization in speech categories in infants (Bornstein, 1984, 1987; Grieser & Khul (1990). “Fernald (1985) found that 4-month-old infants preferred to listen to a tape-recorded motherese than to adult talk” (Crowley, 2014). However, this study only consisted of a pre-recorded tape and not a physical presence of the child’s parent. The results may differ if Fernald took this into consideration.

In Conclusion, it is to believe that a child’s language acquisition is an extremely important subject which has been argued upon frequently. With regards to stages of language, it can be argued that they are all only guidelines and they are not to be adhered to for the predominant amount of children. This is because there are so many inconsistencies and disagreements when different stages are formed by alternate linguistics and theorists and every child develops in different amounts of time. As ‘Development Matters’ is an official government document which consists of advice for practitioners, based upon the specific ages of children; this is perhaps the most accurate set of stages. There are many approaches to the theoretical element of children’s language acquisition, none of them being considered factually correct. They are all based on theories regarding language acquisition and view it from different perspectives and angles. Each approach holds some key ideas and concepts when aiding language development. They give practitioners ways in which to structure teaching styles and assist certain needs of the children. Although many theorists disagree with certain ideas of other approaches, they all believe that language acquisition is an important subject when looking at a child’s development. This is something that they have in common.

References

Crowley, K (2014) Child Development a Practical introduction. London, Sage.

Foundation Years (2014) EYFS Statutory Framework. Available at: www.foundationyears.org.uk/eyfs-statutory-framework/ (Accessed: 25 November 2015).

Maynard, T and Powell, S (2014) An Introduction to Early Childhood Studies. London, Sage.

Papousek, M. & Bornstein, M. & Nuzzo, C. & Papousek, H. & Symmes, D. (1990) ‘Infant Responses to Prototypical Melodic Contours in Parental Speech’, Infant Behaviour and Development, 13(4), pp. 539-545.

Pound, L (2005) How Children Learn. London, Step Forward.

Sheridan, M (2008) From Birth to Five Years Children’s Developmental Progress Third edition. New York, Routledge.

The British Association for Early Childhood Education (2012) Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) – Download. Available at: www.early-education.org.uk/development-matters-early-years-foundation-stage-eyfs-download (Accessed: 25 November 2015).