Ap6 Language

As discussed in the book Invitation to the Lifespan by Kathleen Berger there are three main theories that contribute to a child’s learning development at a young age. The first idea is emphasized through learning, the second through culture, and thirdly stressing evolution. Teaching your child is arguably the best way to develop their language. It’s also important they learn to communicate through expression and tone, which will start to develop when they are just a baby. Infants develop through teaching themselves by observing what they see and applying it, which is why repetition is also a very important part of the learning process.

There was some new information I gained from the article that can be brought into the classroom. The main thing I gained is researching the children to see if they prefer fiction or non-fiction books. After researching the student’s reading habits I would also ask them what the student’s would like to read about. I would also ask the children the difference between fiction and non-fiction books. If a student were to turn in a fictional character as non-fiction I would still accept it as non-fiction like Correia

Nature and nurture both play a significant role in language development. Language development refers to how children understand, organise, speak and use words in order to communicate at an effective, age-appropriate level (Karen Kearns, 2013, P.105). For centuries, theorists have been debating the roles of nature versus nurture. Although, each child’s language will develop at their own pace and there will be many individual differences based on culture, ethnicity, health and ability. As well as physical, social, emotional and cognitive development in which will contribute to a child’s language development.

A fundamental role for teachers is to ensure students are engaged in the classroom. A students educational outcome can be positively influenced by a teacher who takes the time to get to know their fund of knowledge, particularly in regards to the student’s cultural background and use of language (Bremmer & Scull, 2016, p. 205). As Australian classrooms become increasingly multicultural (Williams, 2011, p.21), with approximately one-fifth of Australians speaking a language other than English at home (ABS, 2017, para. 7), so to do the Englishes used by students. Teachers may experience students arriving at school with limited knowledge of the Australian English language due to only speaking it as a second language, or sometimes not at all, in

Today, we live in a society that sometimes pushes the envelope, in regards to topics that may seem controversial, and evoke uncomfortable emotions in our school classrooms, and also the parents of the children reading these books. It is important to establish the profound impact children’s literature has not only children, but also these books we once read and have shaped our emotions and feelings as we matured into adults. One book can change a reader’s life forever. It may be the timing of the book, or hardships we are enduring while we are reading the book. These emotions can feel positive or negative, and ultimately change the way we see the world. According to Kiefer and Tyson (2013), “So much of what we teach in school is concerned with facts. Literature is concerned with feelings and the quality of life. It can educate the heart as well as well as the mind” (p. 7). Children’s literature provides an avenue to allow our children to escape and feel emotions they may not have experienced, but will someday.

I have learnt that language can be cognitive, material or social (Gee & Hayes, 2011). Some view language as a set of social conventions, shared by a group of people about how to communicate such as classroom or sporting rules, often supplied in books and followed by people. Children don’t read books so social conventions need to be taught by modelling behaviour and communication.

Children learn spoken language before they start school through their social groups and develop understandings of everyday spoken registers. Language development continues at school, involving vocabulary and access to more written-like language, which lays the foundation for learning to read.’ (Winch et al., chapter 3 p. 39). Chomsky developed the nativist theory that regards language as a distinctive human achievement, which is an innate structure of the brain. ‘Chomsky came up with the idea of the Language Acquisition Device (LAD). The LAD is a language organ that is hardwired into our brains at birth. Because of this, we are born with the ability to understand and develop language. Once a child is exposed to language, the LAD activates. It allows them to understand the rules of whatever language they are exposed to.’ (Study.com, 2013, chapter 8., Lesson 3). Chomsky emphasises that a child’s language acquisition takes place quickly and effortlessly due to the child having complete linguistic capabilities from birth and need only learn to express this capability regarding oral language. LAD relies indirectly on the language children hear, and input from those around them and serves as a trigger to syntactic structures. Speaking and listening is a crucial resource in student’s learning and literacy development. As student’s start school, there is a deliberate attention and use of metalanguage that they will be using during their schooling

First, even though researches do not have all answer for the question “How a child from birth to age 8 developed language literacy?”. They recognized that a child’s language acquisition depending on the active engagement of the child and the level of language in the child’s environment. The five main theories of language development: behaviorist argues that children imitate what they hear, nativist argues that children do not need external stimulus because they can figure out language, Piagetian and Vygotskian believes that a language is built on cognitive development and social relationships, constructivist argue that children are the creators of language, and Halliday’s pointed out that language development in a child are gradual through interaction with others. (Morrow 134). Also,

An understanding of following simple instructions, listening when someone else is talking and the skills to be able to converse with the people around them is within a child making the transition to school easier. A child that is unable to speak or listen to other effectively will be come disadvantaged in many ways. (Fellows, J. & Oakley, G. 2014, p 18) These children who are not strong in language will struggle to follow simple class instructions and interact with their peers and teacher. This is why language in the early years plays an important role in the development of a child and their progress through

Language is a human system of communicating that can be seen and heard. Language can be seen by reading and writing, signs or gestures, symbols or pictures and can be heard when talking, reading aloud or actively listening to someone. By using language in these forms it enables us to express our thoughts and feelings, indicates ideas or re-tell our experiences (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014). Language can also be standard or diverse. Standard language might refer to Standard Australian English or Standard Academic English whilst reference is made to diverse language when referring to World Englishes, Aboriginal Englishes, different Discourses that are used depending on the subject matter, different languages that are used according to the register required such as formal and informal or languages used for different cultural and social contexts such as social situations, age, gender or race (Caruso, 1997). Using language in any of these forms is an important aspect of being human because we need to connect and communicate with others (Gee & Hayes, 2011). Language plays an integral role from the time a child is born as it controls higher mental functions and behaviour and represents a person’s social and cultural environment (Vialle, Lysaght and Verenikina, 2008).

The following essay will discuss how language can be seen, through sign language, writing and paralinguistics. How language can be herd through spoken word and how language has extended into the digital age. In addition, this essay will discuss the diversity of language in World Englishes as well as Standard Australian English and differing registers. Finally, this essay will talk about the different roles language has in a child’s life, from the early learning years to older years and how language is the foundation to how they learn and grow.

The great debate in theories of child language acquisition involves the initial stage of language learning. This is also called the nature versus nurture debate, where some theorists argue that children naturally acquire linguistic skills from simple exposure to language. Others claim that it requires more deliberate teaching and education; it is not a merely natural phenomenon. In addition to the main stages of language acquisition, I hope to offer summaries of the key debates in the scholarly field and also some interesting elaborations on the main points of this essay. The stages of child language acquisition are three, but before we look in depth at the stages of language acquisition, consider the key movements in the field of study.

'Language plays a vital role in the personal and social development of children. It enables them to gain an understanding of themselves and others and strengthens their social relationships.'

Would you expect a newborn baby to understand the inner workings of a language? Of course not! Newborn’s minds are not developed enough to understand language or anything, besides how to eat. However, over time the baby’s brain will develop and more information could be stored in knowledge. We teach our children a method of mimicry called repetition and is the basis for all learning under the age of nine years old. As children fall into this mushy cycle of repeating everything they see, they often look to their role models and providers: their parents. Parents provide the basis for children’s accent, speech pattern, body language, and reactions. Parents are the child’s teacher in every way, shape, and form possible.

Language can be seen in the form of: A written letter; a television program; and even in the form of body language. Or heard through the: Spoken language of a conversation; the inner-dialogue of a persons’ thoughts; or in the many digital audio forms of the world today. It can be diverse and can have different meanings to different people, this is observed through differing Discourses of people from different professions, or even the same professions but from different parts of a country (Green, 2006, p. 3). Or Standard, in Australia, Standard Australian English hereafter known as (SAE) is the form of English that educators are expected to teach their students as part of the curriculum (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority., 2016).