ENG511 Final Term Preparation 2020 by Paragon

Eng511 spring 2020

Q. Duality of Patterning (t# 75)

A small number of meaningless elements on one hand and a large number of meaningful elements on the other hand. Duality of patterning: hand configuration, place of articulation, and movement.

(from google)  Duality of patterning refers to the ability of human language, both signed and spoken, to form discrete meaningful units (morphemes; cf. " Rules of word formation (morphology)") from discrete nonmeaningful segments (phonemes)

Q. Contexts of Childhood & Bilingualism (t# 121)

The meaning and definition of bilingualism varies tremendously from situation to situation. Some individuals are bilingual because they live in bilingual regions; some become bilingual because their home language is not the same as their school or business language; some become bilingual because colonization has imposed another language. Others become bilingual because they have studied a language in school or because they grew up in homes with two languages. A distinction has been drawn between simultaneous bilingualism and sequential bilingualism. When children acquire two languages at the same time, their bilingualism is referred to as simultaneous bilingualism. Sequential bilingualism occurs when an individual (child or adult) acquires a second language after already acquiring a native language. This type of bilingualism is also referred to as second-language acquisition. Most commonly, children learn two languages simultaneously when they are born into a community that is bilingual. In some communities, bilingualism is simply expected.

Q. Language creativity (topic 126 video lect)

The process of creative problem-solving usually begins with defining the problem. This may lead to finding a simple non-creative solution, a textbook solution, or discovering prior solutions developed by other individuals. If the discovered solution is sufficient, the process may then be abandoned. Improvement in proficiency preceded the improvement in intelligence, suggesting that language proficiency caused cognitive improvement rather than the other way around. Considerable research indicates that bilingual children show greater Metalinguistic awareness than monolingual children. Although it was once thought that bilingualism led to cognitive impairment, there is now evidence that bilingual children perform better on certain problem-solving and creativity tasks than do monolingual children.

Q. feral or isolated children or only Isolated Children (t# 128)

Feral children are those who have grown up in the wild. Lane presented a detailed description and analysis of a boy named Victor, who was found in the woods of France in 1797. Peasants spotted the boy running naked through the woods, searching for potatoes and nuts, and he was subsequently captured by some hunters and brought to civilization. They called him the Wild Boy of Aveyron, after the province in which he was found. The Wild Boy came to the attention of Jean-Marc-Gaspard Itard, a young physician. At the time of his capture, Victor was thought to be about 12 or 13 years old. He had no speech, although his hearing was normal and he uttered some sounds. Other physicians thought that Victor was deaf and retarded, but Itard was optimistic that he could be trained to be socialized and to use language. Itard worked intensively with Victor for 5 years, using techniques of language training and behavior modification similar to those used by modern researchers.

Q. Discuss the critical period hypothesis with example (t#129)

There is a period early in life in which we are especially prepared to acquire a language is referred to as the critical period hypothesis. Many investigators who favor the critical period hypothesis suggest that there are neurological changes in the brain that leave a learner less able to acquire a language, although the nature of these supposed changes is not well understood. Most commonly, these changes are assumed to occur near puberty. Surprisingly, although the critical period hypothesis has evoked much discussion, there have been few empirical studies that have tested the hypothesis. A landmark study was reported by Johnson and Newport (1989) who examined native speakers of Korean and Chinese who had immigrated to the United States at various ages between 3 and 39 years of age. On the average, the participants who arrived earlier (that is, before puberty) had been in the United States about the same amount of time as those who had arrived later. They also included a group of native speakers for comparison purposes.

Q. how critical period effect second language learning (t#130)

The evidence from second-language acquisition research has not provided unequivocal evidence for the critical period hypothesis. The best we can say is that young children generally learn L2 better than older children and adults, at least in the long run. Moreover, the advantage that younger learners display in some studies may be due to biological changes (as assumed in the critical period hypothesis), environmental factors, cognitive changes, or some combination of factors. Clearly, we have much more to learn about how the capacity for language acquisition changes over the life span.

Q. Explain cognitive process (topic#133 video lecture)

Cognition is "the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought and experience. It encompasses processes such as attention, memory and evaluation, comprehension and production of language. Cognitive processes use existing knowledge and generate new knowledge. So, cognitive processes are a function of the brain, a cognitive theory will not necessarily make reference to the brain or to biological processes (compare neuro cognitive). It may purely describe behavior in terms of information flow or function.

Q. How many languages being spoken in the world

Well, roughly 6,500 languages are spoken in the world today

Q. What do you know about Piaget’s theory of cognitive development? (t# 133 video lect)

Piaget's theory of cognitive development explains how a child constructs a mental model of the world. He disagreed with the idea that intelligence was a fixed trait, and regarded cognitive development as a process which occurs due to biological maturation and interaction with the environment. According to Piaget, children are born with a very basic mental structure on which all subsequent learning and knowledge are based. To Piaget, cognitive development was a progressive reorganization of mental processes as a result of biological maturation and environmental experience. Children construct an understanding of the world around them, and then experience discrepancies between what they already know and what they discover in their environment. There Are Three Basic Components To Piaget's Cognitive Theory:

Schemas: building blocks of knowledge.

Adaptation processes that enable the transition from one stage to another (equilibrium, assimilation, and accommodation).

Stages of Cognitive Development: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational,

Piaget is known for studying the stages children pass through during cognitive development.

Q. Explain briefly operating principles (t# 134 lecture)

One of the most productive approaches to the question has been Slobin’s work on operating principles. Operating principles are children’s preferred ways of taking in (or operating on) information.

Principle 1: Children Learn What They Hear Most

Principle 2: Children Learn Words for Things and Events That Interest Them

Principle 3: Interactive and Responsive Rather Than Passive Contexts Promote Language Learning

Principle 4: Children Learn Words Best in Meaningful Contexts

Principle 5: Children Need to Hear Diverse Examples of Words and Language Structures

Principle 6: Vocabulary and Grammatical Development Are Reciprocal Processes

Q. What do you know about sensorimotor schemata/ piaget sensory motor? (t# 134)

A sensorimotor schema is a psychological construct which gathers together the perceptions and associated actions, schemas available to a young infant are biological and very limited and initially consist of reflexes. The schema represents knowledge generalized from all the experiences. Sensorimotor schemata are ways of organizing the world that emerge in the first two years of life. As children interact with their environments, they go through an astonishing amount of cognitive growth in a relatively short period of time.

Q. What are the sub-stages of sensorimotor schemata? (t# 135 lecture)

Reflexes (0-1 month): The child understands the environment purely through inborn reflexes.

Primary Circular Reactions (1-4 months): This sub stage involves coordinating sensation and new schemas.

Secondary Circular Reactions (4-8 months): The child becomes more focused on the world.

Coordination of Reactions (8-12 months): The child starts to show clearly intentional actions.

Tertiary Circular Reactions (12-18 months): Children begin a period of trial-and-error Experimentation