Critical Period and Development of Language - 1239 Words

Critical Period and Development of Language There has been a long debate about whether a critical period for language acquisition truly exists in humans. It may be true that children have an easier time obtaining fluency when it comes to acquiring a new language, but this does not mean that it is impossible for adults to also acquire a new language with the same level of control even in late adulthood(Snow). So can it really be said that there is a critical period through which children have an easier time to learn a language? And if so, is there a limit to how many languages that a child can learn before this critical period is over? The idea of critical period for language acquisition was first brought into view by Eric Lenneberg in 1967. The critical period hypothesis states that idea that the learning of a language must be done within a certain time frame after a childs birth, or else it will be impossible for the acquisition of language to happen. Though Lenneberg may have not been the one to have thought up the idea, he was the person who had popularized it making psychologist question whether or not such a thing as a critical period exists(Snow). This hypothesis first came up from studying people who acquired some sort of damage to the left hemisphere of the brain, leading a patient to obtain aphasia. People who were unfortunate enough to obtain this type of language impairment were more likely to recover to having normal language abilities, if they acquiredShow MoreRelatedThe Acquisition Of Language And The Critical Period845 Words   |  4 PagesThe Acquisition of Language and the Critical Period What is a critical period? It is a period in which a certain skill is believed to be most easily acquired, but is there one for the acquisition of language? The case study, â€Å"The Linguistic Development of Genie† (Curtiss, et al 1974) and paper â€Å"Maturational Constraints on Language Learning†(Newport, 1990) implicates that the theory of the critical period can apply for acquisition of language. The case study of Genie demonstrates an unfortunateRead MoreHow Can Tie A Shoelace? Essay1644 Words   |  7 Pagesshe was immediately drawn to the fact that Alex was missing out on exposure to language and sound – a lack of supervision and support. Since Alex had difficulty hearing, he was already far behind of his peers due to his lack of exposure to sound and language during the critical period of language acquisition. Although he was given visual clues of language by Denworth and her family, Alex was not exposed to as much language as other children who had no difficulty with hearing. Denworth argues in herRead MoreOld Dogs and New Tricks: What About a Second Language?882 Words   |  4 PagesThe topic of a critical period for language learning is a hotbed of discussion; there is substantial evidence to support the idea that certain elements of language are â€Å"easier† (or even critical) for people to learn and master at younger ages, such as syntax and phonology, but the debate rages on as to whether this is evidence of a critical period of overall language learning, and whether the critical period applies to the learning of a second language (Newport, 2002). The implications of such researchRead MoreThe Impact Of Technology On Our Understanding Of The Developing Brain1706 Words   |  7 Pagesthe mechanisms of pivotal functions such as, firstly, the expansion of grey and white matter and then speech/ first language development. Finally this essay will also focus on vision development and how these three critical processes c an be shaped by the formation and growth of systems in the brain. One of the first major magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies on brain development in the 1980’s in America, focused on a qualitative account and extension of grey and white matter during the first 2Read MoreThe Acquisition Of Child Language1010 Words   |  5 Pages Introduction The acquisition of child language has become a heated debate in which many discuss how and when a child is able to learn both their first and even their second language. The critical period hypothesis is a theory which claims that after a certain age children will no longer be able to achieve a native level of fluency in any given language. This essay aims to dissect the evidence which supports and contradicts this, and will draw upon studies and experiments conducted on both humanRead MoreEssay on Sensitive Periods in Developement1258 Words   |  6 PagesSensitive Periods in Developement The child does not grow uniformly and homogeneously like a crystal or a carrot, but by stages or phases, which succeed one another and which, differ from one another. For proper growth and development it is necessary that the potentialities for developing human relationships with which the infant is born be exposed to the organizing influences of another human being. Accumulating evidence indicates that there exist critical developmental periods during whichRead MoreEssay Infant Language Development 1662 Words   |  7 PagesLanguage is a communicative system of words and symbols unique to humans. The origins of language are still a mystery as fossil remains cannot speak. However, the rudiments of language can be inferred through studying linguistic development in children and the cognitive and communicative abilities of primates as discussed by Bridgeman (2003). This essay illustrates the skills infants have that will eventually help them to acquire language. The topics covered ar e firstly, the biological aspects, theRead MoreFactors that Promote Rapid Language Learning in Children?1406 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to Chomsky (1972), language acquisition is one of the exclusive characteristics of human beings and is known as the jewel in the crown of cognition (Pinker, 1994). It is well known that other species on earth have communication system also, but differ substantially in their qualities from human communication. Several attempts have been made to teach apes to speak (Allen Gardner, 1969; Savage-Rumbaugh, Sevcik, Hopkins, 1988), but language acquisition is a mystery of human beings, itRead MoreDon t Worry, It s Of A Mexican Restaurant With Her Monolingual Daughter1346 Words   |  6 Pagesof higher value. However, learning a foreign language in elementary school takes advantage of the human critical period for language acquisition, meets other countries in their education systems—catching the United States up with the rest of the develope d world, and provides abundant cognitive benefits that improve learning in various aspects. The bedrock of biology dictates an evolutionarily advantageous yet inconvenient reality: the critical period. It determines the window in an organism’s lifeRead MoreGenie Wiley1498 Words   |  6 Pagesmorality doesn’t allow us to conduct deprivation experiments with human beings, these unfortunate people are all we have to go on. * With so much interest in her case, the question became what should be done with her. A team of  psychologists  and language experts began the process of rehabilitating Genie. * The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) provided funding for scientific research on Genie’s case. * When she arrived at UCLA, she weighed only 59 pounds (26.8kg) and she moved with