Theories of Language Acquisition in Relation to Beginning Reading Instruction.

Various theories of language acquisition a re discussed: behavioristic, nativistic, and cognitive. Linguistically-oriented theories a re compared with learning-oriented theories, and four controversial issues of frequency of stimuli, imitation, expansion, and meaning a r e reviewed. The theories a r e all rather unsubstantial a t present. Reading acquisition seems to be very different from language acquisition, and the theories of language acquisition appear to have little to offer anyone in coming to a better understanding of how beginning reading should be taught.

[1]  Jessie F. Reid,et al.  LEARNING TO THINK ABOUT READING , 1966 .

[2]  L. Bloom.  Language Development: Form and Function in Emerging Grammars , 1970 .

[3]  F. Kessel,et al.  The role of syntax in children's comprehension from ages six to twelve. , 1970, Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development.

[4]  A. Staats,et al.  A comparison of the development of speech and reading behavior with implications for research. , 1962, Child development.

[5]  V. Maglietta.  [Language development in children]. , 1968, La Clinica pediatrica.

[6]  M. Braine,et al.  On the basis of phrase structure: a reply to Bever, Fodor, and Weksel. , 1965, Psychological review.

[7]  Courtney B. Cazden,et al.  ENVIRONMENTAL ASSISTANCE TO THE CHILD'S ACQUISITION OF GRAMMAR. , 1965 .

[8]  E H LENNEBERG,et al.  THE BRAIN AND DISORDERS OF COMMUNICATION. PRIMITIVE STAGES OF LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT IN MONGOLISM. , 1964, Research publications - Association for Research in Nervous and Mental Disease.

[9]  E. Lenneberg.  Biological Foundations of Language , 1967 .

[10]  J. Jenkins,et al.  MEDIATION PROCESSES AND THE ACQUISITION OF LINGUISTIC STRUCTURE. , 1964, Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development.

[11]  R. Weir,et al.  Language in the crib , 1962 .

[12]  M. Braine,et al.  On learning the grammatical order of words. , 1963, Psychological review.

[13]  L. Vygotsky,et al.  Thought and Language , 1963 .

[14]  Daniel I. Slobin,et al.  Universals of Grammatical Development in Children. , 1969 .

[15]  Martin D. S. Braine,et al.  The Ontogeny of English Phrase Structure: The First Phase , 1963 .

[16]  S. Ervin,et al.  THE DEVELOPMENT OF GRAMMAR IN CHILD LANGUAGE. , 1964, Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development.

[17]  A preliminary evaluation of grammatical capacity in Children , 1963 .

[18]  Richard W. Howell,et al.  Theories of language acquisition , 1971, Journal of psycholinguistic research.

[19]  P. Menyuk,et al.  Syntactic structures in the language of children. , 1963, Child development.

[20]  Dan I. Slobin,et al.  Early Grammatical Development in Several Languages, with Special Attention to Soviet Research. , 1968 .

[21]  Roger S. Brown,et al.  Three Processes in the Child's Acquisition of Syntax , 1964 .

[22]  E. Lenneberg.  Understanding language without ability to speak: a case report. , 1962, Journal of abnormal and social psychology.

[23]  Noam Chomsky,et al.  The Sound Pattern of English , 1968 .