1. CHAPTER 10 LANGUAGE AND EDUCATION

2. Mastering Language Phonology: The sound system Morphology: Forming words from sounds Syntax: Grammar (sentences from words) Semantics: Meaning Pragmatics: Context appropriate use Nonverbal: Face, tone, gestures

3. Language Development Prelinguistic Abilities ◦ First sounds and feedback ◦ Vocalizations (6-8 weeks) ◦ Babbling (4-6 months) ◦ Home language sounds (8 months) ◦ Comprehension before production ◦ Joint attention

5. First Words First Year ◦ Holophrases: Single words ◦ Nonverbal information ◦ Intonation: Question, request, demand ◦ Nouns first (naming) 18 months: Vocabulary spurt of 30-50 words 24 months: 186 words Wide individual differences

6. First Mistakes Two-Year-Olds ◦ Overextension: Too broad ◦ Underextension: Too narrow ◦ Overregularization: Applying rules  “Foots” or “goed”  Found in other languages  Suggests an understanding of grammatical rules

7. Two-Year Olds Telegraphic Speech: Critical content only ◦ 2+ word utterances Functional Grammar ◦ Semantic relations expressed ◦ Context important Rules inferred from adult speech Age 2-5: Transformational grammar ◦ “Billy hit” versus “hit Billy”

8. Later Language Development First grade: 10,000 words Abstract terms by adolescence Metalinguistic awareness Adulthood ◦ Expanded vocabulary ◦ Refine pragmatics

9. How Language Develops Learning Theory (Skinner) ◦ Accounts for phonology and semantics ◦ Cannot account for syntax or novelty Nativist: (Chomsky) Language Acquisition Device (LAD) ◦ Inborn mechanism ◦ Universality of stages and errors ◦ Genetic evidence from twin studies Interactionist perspective

10. Critical or Sensitive Period? Critical Period Argument ◦ Younger learn more easily: All languages ◦ Deaf children: Same timing, sequence ◦ Second language learners Sensitive Period ◦ Earlier is better

11. Learning to Read Alphabetic Principle ◦ Printed words related to sounds ◦ Phonological awareness: decoding Emergent Literacy ◦ Reading to preschoolers ◦ Repetitious reading and rhymes ◦ Questions

12. Skilled vs. Unskilled Readers Skilled Readers ◦ Understand the phonetic alphabet ◦ Eyes hit all the words ◦ Rely on phonology, not context to identify words Unskilled Readers ◦ Low levels of phonological awareness ◦ Eyes skip words and parts of words

13. Teaching Reading Phonics (Code Oriented) ◦ Analyze words for sounds ◦ Sound-letter correspondence Whole-Word Method (Look-Say) ◦ Read for meaning Research supports phonics

14. Effective Schools Less Important Factors ◦ Increased resources (reasonable) ◦ Average class size (18-40) ◦ Ability grouping: no advantage found Factors that Matter ◦ Student aptitude ◦ Task-oriented classes; discipline enforced ◦ Parental involvement

15. The Adolescent in School Declining achievement and self-esteem Negative school attitudes Critical juncture: middle school Risk factors ◦ Minority group, mother’s educational level and mental health ◦ Stressful life events, family size, father absence

16. Why Achievement Drops Family characteristics Cognitive growth Negative Feedback ◦ Younger are praised for effort alone Peer pressures, which discourage academic achievement esp. low income minority peers Puberty Poor person-environment fit

17. Science and Math Education Cultural Differences: Asian vs. US students Asian: Higher scores Differences in Asian schools ◦ More time in school and on task ◦ More homework ◦ Committed parents ◦ Peers: high values and standards ◦ Belief in hard work and effort

18. Work and School Students working 20+ hours per week ◦ Lower GPA ◦ Disengaged and bored attitude ◦ Alienation and anxiety Other Findings ◦ Lower math and science achievement ◦ More likely to use alcohol and drugs

19. The Adult Achievement Motivation Stable ◦ Affected by education, type of work, and family situations Literacy: 22% at 3 rd grade level ◦ US has more high level and more low level ◦ Related to poverty Continuing Education ◦ 15 million aged 25+ enrolled in college