Chapter 10 Language and Education

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Chapter 10Language and Education
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Language

• 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

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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

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First Words

• First Year
• Holophrases single words
• Nonverbal information
• Intonation question, request, demand
• Nouns first (naming)
• 18 months vocabulary spurt - 30-50 words
• 24 months 186 words
• Wide individual differences

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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

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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 vs. hit Billy

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Later Language Development

• First grade 10,000 words
• Abstract terms by adolescence
• Metalinguistic awareness
• Adulthood
• Expanded vocabulary
• Refine pragmatics

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How Language Develops

• Learning Theory
• Accounts for phonology and semantics
• Cannot account for syntax or novelty
• Nativist _ LAD _ inborn mechanism
• Universality of stages and errors
• Genetic evidence - Twins
• Interactionist perspective

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Figure 10.2
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Critical or Sensitive Period

• Critical period argument
• Younger learn more easily- all languages
• Deaf children
• Second language learners
• Sensitive period
• Earlier is better

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Mastery Motivation

• Typical of infants
• Individual differences
• Parents must provide
• Sensory stimulation
• Responsive environment
• Early education not necessary
• Important for disadvantaged children

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Achievement Motivation by Age 7

• Mastery orientation
• Success attribution is internal and stable
• Failure external factors
• Learning goals
• Learned helplessness
• Success attribution is external (luck)
• Failure internal and stable
• Performance goals

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Contributions to Achievement Motivation

• Infancy
• Stimulating, responsive environment
• Independence and self-reliance
• Set high standards
• Parental involvement
• School age
• De-emphasize grades
• Focus on learning

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Effective Schools

• Less important factors
• Increased resources (reasonable)
• Average class size (18-40)
• Ability grouping no advantage
• Factors that matter
• Student aptitude
• Task-oriented classes discipline enforced
• Parental involvement

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The Adolescent in School

• Declining achievement and self-esteem
• Negative school attitudes
• Critical juncture middle school
• Risk factors
• Minority group, mothers educational level and
  mental health
• Stressful life events, family size, father absence

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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

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Science and Math Education

• Cultural differences Asian-US students compared
• More time in school and on task
• More homework
• Committed parents
• Peers high values and standards
• Belief in hard work and effort

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Work and School

• Students working 20 hours per week
• Lower GPA
• Disengaged and bored
• Alienation and anxiety
• Other findings
• Lower math and science achievement
• More likely to use alcohol and drugs

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The Adult

• Achievement motivation stable
• Affected by education, type of work, and family
  situations
• Literacy 14 at 3rd grade level
• US has more high level and more low level
• Related to poverty
• Continuing Education
• 15 million aged 25 enrolled in college