Anti-representationalism in language development research: A commentary on Ambridge (2020)

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 592-595
Author(s):  
Melina L. Knabe ◽  
Haley A. Vlach
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Child Language ◽  
Development Research ◽  
Widespread Agreement ◽  
Critical Process

Ambridge argues that there is widespread agreement among child language researchers that learners store linguistic abstractions. In this commentary the authors first argue that this assumption is incorrect; anti-representationalist/exemplar views are pervasive in theories of child language. Next, the authors outline what has been learned from this body of work, including insights into mechanisms underlying language learning. Interestingly, some of these mechanisms are at odds with counterarguments in Ambridge, such as the finding that forgetting is a critical process of language.

First language development: a usage-based perspective on past and current research

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. 48-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
ELENA LIEVEN
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Development ◽  
Language Development ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Child Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Computational Modelling ◽  
Systematic Errors ◽  
The Past ◽  
Language Research ◽  
The Relationship

ABSTRACTI first outline three major developments in child language research over the past forty years: the use of computational modelling to reveal the structure of information in the input; the focus on quantifying productivity and abstraction; and developments in the explanation of systematic errors. Next, I turn to what I consider to be major outstanding issues: how the network of constructions builds up and the relationship between social and cognitive development and language learning. Finally, I briefly consider a number of other areas of importance to a psychologically realistic understanding of children's language development.

Input to interaction to instruction: three key shifts in the history of child language research

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. 117-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
CATHERINE E. SNOW
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Child Language ◽  
Adult Child ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Language Research ◽  
History Of ◽  
Adequate Quantity ◽  
Language Input

ABSTRACTIn the early years of theJournal of Child Language, there was considerable disagreement about the role of language input or adult–child interaction in children's language acquisition. The view that quantity and quality of input to language-learning children is relevant to their language development has now become widely accepted as a principle guiding advice to parents and the design of early childhood education programs, even if it is not yet uncontested in the field of language development. The focus on variation in the language input to children acquires particular educational relevance when we consider variation in access to academic language – features of language particularly valued in school and related to success in reading and writing. Just as many children benefit from language environments that are intentionally designed to ensure adequate quantity and quality of input, even more probably need explicit instruction in the features of language that characterize its use for academic purposes

Foundations of Language Development in Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Infants

2020 ◽  
pp. 19-32
Author(s):  
Dani Levine ◽  
Daniela Avelar ◽  
Roberta Michnick Golinkoff ◽  
Kathy Hirsh-Pasek ◽  
Derek M. Houston
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Cochlear Implants ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
Social Processes ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
Hearing Devices ◽  
Language Input ◽  
Hearing Children

Copious evidence indicates that, even in the first year of life, children’s language development is beginning and is impacted by a wide array of cognitive and social processes. The extent to which these processes are dependent on early language input is a critical concern for most deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children, who, unlike hearing children, are usually not immersed in a language-rich environment until effective interventions, such as hearing aids or cochlear implants, are implemented. Importantly, some cognitive and social processes are not dependent on the early availability of language input and begin to develop before children are fitted for hearing aids or cochlear implants. Interventions involving parent training may be helpful for enhancing social underpinnings of language and for maximizing DHH children’s language learning once effective hearing devices are in place. Similarly, cognitive training for DHH children may also provide benefit to bolster language development.

scholarly journals Variations in the Home Language Environment and Early Language Development in Rural China

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2671
Author(s):  
Yue Ma ◽  
Laura Jonsson ◽  
Tianli Feng ◽  
Tyler Weisberg ◽  
Teresa Shao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Child Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Home Language ◽  
Early Language ◽  
Early Language Development ◽  
Language Environment ◽  
Conversational Turns ◽  
Home Language Environment

The home language environment is critical to early language development and subsequent skills. However, few studies have quantitatively measured the home language environment in low-income, developing settings. This study explores variations in the home language environment and child language skills among households in poor rural villages in northwestern China. Audio recordings were collected for 38 children aged 20–28 months and analyzed using Language Environment Analysis (LENA) software; language skills were measured using the MacArthur–Bates Mandarin Communicative Developmental Inventories expressive vocabulary scale. The results revealed large variability in both child language skills and home language environment measures (adult words, conversational turns, and child vocalizations) with 5- to 6-fold differences between the highest and lowest scores. Despite variation, however, the average number of adult words and conversational turns were lower than found among urban Chinese children. Correlation analyses did not identify significant correlations between demographic characteristics and the home language environment. However, the results do indicate significant correlations between the home language environment and child language skills, with conversational turns showing the strongest correlation. The results point to a need for further research on language engagement and ways to increase parent–child interactions to improve early language development among young children in rural China.

The acquisition of routines in child language

1976 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Berko Gleason ◽  
Sandra Weintraub
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
Child Language ◽  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
Age Changes ◽  
Adult Participation ◽  
Parental Input

ABSTRACTThe acquisition of routines is one aspect of language development. Routines such as Bye-bye, in contrast to more referential language, appear to be among the earliest acquisitions and are congruent with the sensori-motor child's capacities. This study investigates performance of the highly constrained Hallowe'en Trick or treat routine in 115 children from 2 to 16 years of age. Changes in competence and the role of parental input are examined in relation to cognitive and social factors. (First routines; the Hallowe'en interaction; children's production; adult participation; adult metalanguage; implications for ethnographic research.)

Type/Token Ratios: what do they really tell us?

1987 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Richards
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Sample Size ◽  
Linear Relationship ◽  
Child Language ◽  
Lexical Diversity ◽  
Diversity Measure ◽  
Closed Class ◽  
Language Research ◽  
Non Linear

ABSTRACTType/Token Ratios have been extensively used in child language research as an index of lexical diversity. This paper shows that the measure has frequently failed to discriminate between children at widely different stages of language development, and that the ratio may in fact fall as children get older. It is suggested here that such effects are caused by a negative, though non-linear, relationship between sample size (i.e. number of tokens) and Type/Token Ratio. Effects of open and closed class items are considered and an alternative Verbal Diversity measure is examined. Standardization of the number of tokens before computing Type/Token Ratios is recommended.

Father–child activities and paternal attitudes in early child language development: the STEPS study

2018 ◽  
Vol 190 (13) ◽  
pp. 2078-2092
Author(s):  
Viivi Lankinen ◽  
Marko Lähteenmäki ◽  
Anne Kaljonen ◽  
Pirjo Korpilahti
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Child Language ◽  
Early Child
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