Language Models

Who	Principals	Limitations	Intervention
Behavioral Model: B.F. Skinner	The behavioral theory of places a great deal of emphasis on the role of the environment in language acquisition. The behavior is reinforced (good).  Punishing the behavior (shut up).  Or ignoring the behavior.	The theory makes the wrong prediction about what children will learn – particularly the order of work acquisition.  A second problem for this theory is its difficulty in explaining the phenomenon of novel productions.  Young children have been found to use constructions that they have never heard previously. A third problem is that systematic observations of parents indicate that parents actually tend to ignore grammatical errors and are more concerned about the truth value of what their children say. Lastly children can usually understand sentences before they can produce them.	This theory has been a successful tool in the development of intervention approaches to enhance the language skills of many persons with significant language disorders.  Teachers choose specific, discrete language behaviors as the focus of instruction and through assessment, determine that the child has acquired the prerequisite skills.  Instruction continues until mastery of the skill is achieved.
Who	Principals	Limitations	Intervention
The Linguistic (Nativist) Model:  Chomsky	Language is innate (hence the nativist label). It is inborn in the human species – hardwired at birth.  Babies are born ready to learn language and possess a mechanism that Chomsky called the language acquisition device, which consists of basic grammatical categories and rules that are common to all languages.	This theory diminishes the role given to language input.  Language is not learned but develops due to the maturation of a genetic program for language learning.  A second problem stems from the theoretical underpinnings of the model itself.  The theory explains the acquisition of syntax, it does not account for the child’s acquisition of semantic, morphophonological or pragmatic rules. Finally the nativist theory poses a dilemma to those who are interested in helping children improve their language performance, as it seems to suggest that there is little hope for children experiencing difficulty with language.	The Nativist theory has made important contributions by addressing some of the most challenging questions about language learning and my advancing our knowledge about language and language acquisition.  This theory suggest using developmental guideline for instructional goals and that instruction should focus on rule learning.
Who	Principals	Limitations	Interventions
The Semantic-Cognitive Model:  Lois Bloom	Blooms concluded that semantics precedes syntax in child language acquisition. Children develop syntax because they have something to talk about rather than because they have grammar to express themselves.  The theory proposes that young children pay particular attention to the meanings of things.  Experience comes first, then the language follows.  Syntax develops as the result of the need to talk about more and more things or experiences.	The Semantic-cognitive theory gives little attention to the role of input language.  Some children attain the cognitive prerequisites for language but do not develop language skills. Therefore it may not be essential for cognitive development to precede language.	It has forced theorists to look beyond syntax and to consider other aspects of language development.  The notion is that when children are just at the edge of developing a new skill, experiences and instruction can help them take this step.
Who	Principals	Limitations	Interventions
Pragmatic-Interactionist Model: Searle, Dore and Halliday	Based on very simple observation, people talk in order to communicate. Communication precedes language. Language development takes place as children learn to choose the linguistic form that will best express their communicative intent.  Child-directed speech: Adults tend to alter their language in the presence of young children. These alterations include using shorter and less complex sentences, slowing the rate of their speech, using a more limited range of semantic functions and engaging in shorter conversations. This is scaffolding for language development.	One of the limitation of the pragmatic-interactionist model is in how it accounts for the acquisition of specific syntactic structures. Or why to almost all children follow the same sequence of language development at about the same time.	Many clinicians emphasize the importance of engaging children in communication- especially in repetitive, routine interactions.  Rather than breaking language down into small stimulation, stressing the wholeness of language and the essential role of communication in the essential role of communication in the language learning process. Children should be encouraged to interact with parents, peers, and teachers.
Who	Principals	Limitations	Interventions
Information Processing Model:	Attention drives the information-processing system. Attention enables you to discriminate information in short term memory and transfer and retrieve information from long term memory. Has helped in understanding the complexity of the relationship between cognition and language. It recognizes that the processing of complex information is rarely done in a step by stop manner. Parallel or simultaneous processing:  several levels of analysis may take place simultaneously thus speeding up the system..  Language structures emerge from the communicative functions that drive language acquisition.	Research evidence for the operation of the model in children is limited.  Most of the research thus far has been with adults or with theoretical language processing models.  The model does not appear to be able to account for the role of social interaction in language learning.	Some children may lack specific language skills and some may have differences or delays in cognitive processing that may interfere with their understanding and/or use of language.