🧠 Language Acquisition in School-Age Children

But first, feedback on CO2

Tips

  • Using "good" or "great" is unnecessary
  • Tell me what you saw with your eyes AND your analysis
  • Your feelings about the child or the observation aren't relevant

  • Cite the textbook, avoid

    other sources
  • Don't analyze skills that aren't age appropriate

CO 3 review

Components of Language

Phonemes / Phonology

  • Smallest units of sound
  • Example: /b/ /I/ /t/ in "bit"

Morphemes / Morphology

  • Smallest units of meaning
  • Example: "un-", "-ed", "dog"

Syntax

  • Rules for sentence structure
  • "Eugene walked the dog" ≠ "The dog walked Eugene"

Semantics

  • Word and sentence meaning

Pragmatics

  • Contextual meaning and social cues
  • Example: "Awesome!" vs "Awesome..."

Theories of Language Development

Skinner (Behaviorism)

  • Language is learned through reinforcement
  • Operant conditioning & imitation

Chomsky (Nativism)

  • Language Acquisition Device (LAD)
  • Universal grammar, innate ability

Piaget (Cognitive Constructivism)

  • Language follows cognitive development
  • Assimilation & accommodation

Vygotsky (Sociocultural Theory)

  • Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
  • Language develops through interaction

School-Age Language Growth

  • Vocabulary expands to ~40,000 words by 5th grade
  • Children self-correct grammar over time
  • Begin to understand abstract concepts, jokes, puns
  • Greater flexibility in combining and understanding language

Activity: Decode the Joke

Example Joke
“Why did the student eat his homework? Because the teacher said it was a piece of cake!”

Discussion: Why do older kids “get it” while younger kids don’t?

Learning to Read

Phonics Approach

  • Sound-letter decoding
  • "Break the code" for unfamiliar words

Whole-Language Approach

  • Focus on meaning and context
  • Reading through real books and natural exposure

Balanced Reading

  • Combines decoding and comprehension
  • Most widely accepted method today

Bilingualism in the Classroom

  • Majority of global children are bilingual
  • Bilingual children may have cognitive & metalinguistic advantages
  • Cross-language transfer: vocab in one language helps the other
  • Challenges: balancing both languages, cultural identity, classroom support

Iceberg Model

  • Surface fluency ≠ deeper conceptual knowledge

Language & Learning Disorders

  • Dyslexia: Reading
  • Dysgraphia: Writing
  • Dyscalculia: Math
  • Diagnosed by qualified professionals
  • Early identification improves support

Discussion Questions

  1. Why do school-age children enjoy wordplay and puns?
  2. How do syntax and pragmatics shape real-world communication?
  3. What role does social interaction play in language development?
  4. How does language ability impact academic success?
  5. What supports are helpful for dual language learners?

Discussion

  • Which theory of language development do you find most compelling and why?
  • Observation: Watch a school-age child (video or real life) and identify examples of vocabulary, syntax, and pragmatics.
  • Chart: Compare and contrast Skinner, Chomsky, Piaget, and Vygotsky in a visual format.