Theories (Models) of Language Learning
What is a model?
A way to represent how something is constituted or works
T/F: Younger children (ages 2-3) produce less complex language when engaged in play.
False! They produce MORE complex language when engaged in play.
What are the precursors of content, form, and use? (think broad, not specific examples)
Content: understanding objects and actions
Form: producing sounds/babbling
Use: interpersonal interaction
What are the three objectives in describing a language disorder?
1. Is there a problem?
2. If there is a problem, what does it look like?
3. If there is a problem, what is the best way to facilitate change?
Standardized testing provides a comparison with a _________ __________.
normative population
What is the categorical model?
Language disorders are classified with reference to a specific category into which the child is placed - popular in the 60's and 70's. Child's language disorder is described with reference to the expectations of the category to which they were assigned.
What is the minimum amount of utterances needed to calculate a reliable MLU?
50
What are precursors we are looking for in a child regarding cognitive ability?
awareness of objects - functions, attributes, relationships, problem-solving
What are the two types of testing, and what information are we gathering (in a general sense) by testing with each?
Standardized testing provides information about how a child differs from their peers
Naturalistic sampling/non-standardized testing provides information about how a child communicates in most representative contexts.
T/F: Equivalent scores are an easily understood metric in discussions with teachers and parents, with their shortcoming being that they are estimates and therefore not appropriate for deciding whether a child has a significant deficit.
True!
What is the specific disabilities model?
It attempts to profile each child's weaknesses - underlying vulnerabilities are studied.
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What are precursors we are looking for in a child regarding sensorimotor ability?
perception - visual, auditory; movement, coordination, discrimination
What is a maintaining factor?
A behavior or system of behavior that affects communication performance (i.e. thumb sucking, although they can be cognitive, sensorimotor, or psychosocial)
What is a stanine?
What is the emergentism model?
The study of self-organized, emerging patterns of complex systems. Focuses on various language abilities of the child, taking contextual information into account.
Name three elements of a successful collection of a representative language sample.
Don't ask for specific responses, follow the child's lead, don't be afraid of silences, observe the child in a variety of different contexts, use materials appropriate to the child's interests and cognitive level
What are precursors we are looking for in a child regarding psychosocial ability?
attempts at regulating the environment; reciprocal behaviors, caregiver responsiveness
What are the three subtypes of maintaining factors?
sensory-motor, psychosocial/emotional, cognitive
To measure real progress in intervention, we would want the ____-____________ _____ to move above the confidence interval for the pretest.
What is the developmental model?
Language disorders are described with reference to current language functioning. Content, Form, Use = intentional communication. Assumes that the best approach to the description of a disorder is with reference to knowledge about the typical hierarchy of language development.
Name three relevant factors to take into account when determining a child's prognosis.
Age, social environment (e.g. family involvement), personality and temperament, disordered behavioral systems, severity of communication deficit, previous intervention attempts
Name two specific precursors for each of the three categories of content, form, and use.
Precursors of CONTENT: object identity and search, action on an object, object-to-object relations
Precursors of FORM: Imitation, approximating adult linguistic forms, nonconventional interactions (consistent phonetic forms even if not the adult form of the same word; "wa-wa" for water)
Precursors of USE: Interpersonal behavior, making reference, regulating others' behavior
Name the first 9 content categories!
Existence, Nonexistence, Recurrence, Denial, Possession, Locative action, Rejection, Attribution, Action
What is a confidence interval?