Cognitive theory: children are born with processing abilities and learn language by forming and testing hypotheses and rules¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The paper describes the cognitive theory, which, like the nativistic theory, holds that children are born with certain abilities to learn language but disagrees about what these abilities are. Quoting Slobin (1966), the child is born 'not with a set of linguistic categories but with some sort of process mechanism.' Children develop their own 'theory' of how the language works: they observe the language of others, look for regularities, formulate tentative rules, produce language using these rules, and modify the rules as new evidence is obtained.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Cognitive abilities including the ability to deal with the world, short-term and long-term memory, and the ability to process information

Constraints¶

Target Learners¶

• Young children between the ages of about one to eight or nine years

Target Learning Objectives¶

• Native language acquisition, particularly grammar or syntax

Claims¶

Related Theories¶

• Behavioristic theory: children learn language through imitation of those around them, supported by models and reinforcement
• Nativistic theory: language development is determined from within the child; language is innate
• Language Acquisition Theory

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Butler, Lester G. (1973). Language Acquisition of Young Children: Major Theories and Sequences. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED094403