Learning Language – How is it done?
Learning Language – How is it done? Do children learn to speak through imitation, or is there more to it? ‘Say Mama! Say Dada!’ From gurgling, to babbling, to speaking their first fully formed word, it’s a joyful time for every parent to listen to their child learn to speak. But how – and why – do they learn to make those first sounds? Is imitation the answer, or does evolution play a part? Will your child still learn to speak if you stick them in front of the TV all day? You might think there’s a clear answer to this question, but in actual fact, many theories have been developed over the years to explain why your little one is acquiring language. But first of all, lets address imitation. B.F. Skinner developed the Behaviourism theory – simply put, Behaviourism means that we imitate the linguistic behaviour we hear around us. However, although your child might be able to parrot a word back to you, it’s unlikely that they know what the word means at this stage – for ex...