Theoretical Views of Oral Language & Communication Development

In daily practice, early childhood educators have influenced by several views of thinking how oral language for young children develops. In this section, the differences between each perspective will be explained and what perspectives and approaches should educators embrace to promote children’s language growth.

Behaviourist Perspectives

"Learning through rewards"

From: Cherry. K. (2022). Verywell Mind. What is Behaviourism. Retrieved from: https://www.verywellmind.com/behavioral-psychology-4157183

Fellowes & Oakley (2019) stated that behaviourist perspective was centred during the first half of twentieth century where children learned oral language by receiving rewards for behaviours they displayed. Moreover, language is learned by imitation, practice, feedback, reinforcement of accomplishments (as cited in Huilt & Howard, 2019; Lightbown & Spada, 2013). The dominant of this perspective is the role of environment which is rich of experiences and provides displays of language that children imitate. Another example is consistent reinforcement; praising from others to reach desired outcomes from certain repeated behaviours and that further imitation and practices happen.

Nativist Perspectives

From: Hourani. M. (2017). The Nativist Theory. Prezi. Retrieved from: https://prezi.com/p/0cemxhrrwvn1/the-nativist-theory/

This perspective seen as a biological phenomenon and the role of other people is less important as claimed by Fellowes & Oakley (2019). The major contribution in this perspective is Noam Chomsky (1975) asserted that children are born with ability to generate language and structured to acquire and use language biologically. He called this as Language Acquisition Device (LAD). Fellowes & Oakley (2019) concluded this perspective has major criticism that it does not adequately consider about environmental and social environment, or the role of people in children’s language development.

Maturational Perspectives

In this section, Fellowes & Oakley (2019) mentioned that people view to the debate by proposing that ‘readiness biologically’ is the main functional in language development. This view believes that to unlock language development is determined by child’s ‘inner clock’ (as cited in Jalongo, 2014). They also mentioned there was one influencer in eighteenth-century theorist named Jean-Jacques Rousseau whose belief the idea of let children grow naturally with minimal interference. Maturational perspective can be seen in present days when educators use this for developmental milestones summaries. Fellowes & Oakley (2019) determined about criticism of this view which tends to undervalue the social role of children’s learning.

Cognitive Development Perspectives

Jean Piaget's Theory - 4 Stages of Development

From: AZ Quotes. Jean Piaget's Quotes. Retrieved from: https://www.azquotes.com/author/11635-Jean_Piaget#google_vignette

Jean Piaget is surely a familiar influencer in his theory about cognitive developmental. This view places that language develops through activity as claimed by Fellowes & Oakley (2019). In this perspective, they also added that children build their own understanding through interaction with environment and participation in several play experiences which form language development. Piaget credited that language cannot develop until the child has developed necessary conceptual knowledge about world.

Unlike from nativists, cognitivists do not include the LAD or any special innate ability which language acquisition is interlaced to other cognitive developments processes such as attention, memory or problem-solving.

Social Interactionist Perspectives

Lev Vygostky's Theory- Zone of Proximal Development

From: The Psychology Notes HQ. Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory of Cognitive Development. Zone of Proximal Development. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologynoteshq.com/vygotsky-theory/

Fellowes & Oakley (2019) underlined that the key of this perspective is social interactions between children and certain people around them. Language acquisition forms during communication between child and people who can provide a language model appropriate to children’s communicative objective. Scaffolding is one of the powerful methods that educators can apply in supporting children’s language development which involves adults who can support and guide children in achieving something that slightly beyond their capacity to achieve if the child wants to do it independently.

Lev Vygotsky (1978) named this as Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) where children can achieve something with support of more knowledgeable people. In doing so, educators’ role is very crucial in expanding more vocabulary to children, which they can use and gain meaning of it. Through play, Fellowes & Oakley claimed that children can find opportunity to experiment and develop language by the forms of interactions.

Neurobiological Perspectives

"brain is hard-wired to learn language"

From: Jennifer M. Groh. (n.d.). Coursera. The brain and Space. Duke University. Retrieved from: https://www.coursera.org/learn/human-brain

As reported by Fellowes & Oakley (2019), scientists studied brain in the beginning of 1990s and its workings during specific cognitive activity, such as listening and reading. Neurobiologists have set on that the capacity to learn language can be assigned to structure brain. Results of studies have found that the brain is ‘hard wired’ to learn language, with a situation of learning also depends on social interaction which occurs within communicative contexts. If educators avoid to provide quality language input or social interaction with children, their neural networks would not develop effectively to sustain fluent language use. The terms of interaction that Fellowes & Oakley (2019) mentioned is made children are exposed with engagement with real people – not interactions on screen.

Fellowes & Oakley (2019) concerned about digital technologies which embedded into several aspects of daily communication and young children can access to it. This may impact on children’s language acquisition where children more connect on screens rather being present and engaging with others.