Question 1

Three of the following children are behaving in ways consistent with what information processing theorists have learned about children's early language capabilities. Which one is not behaving consistently with what researchers have learned about what children can and cannot do in the first few years of life?
A) Alec, who is 3 weeks old, seems more intrigued by classical music than by his mother's voice.
B) Bryn, who is 2 months old, seems to be more easily comforted by her father's voice than by the voice of a strange man whose voice has a similar pitch.
C) Claudia, who is 5 months old, pays more attention to her father when he talks to her using short, simple, sing-songy sentences.
D) Donald, who is 16 months old, knows what a teddy bear is but has never heard the word lion before. When his mother shows him three teddy bears and a stuffed lion and says, "Show me the lion," Donald hesitates and then points to the lion.

Accepted Answer

Research in early language development shows that even very young infants, such as those only a few weeks old, show a preference for their mother's voice over other sounds, including music. This is because infants are attuned to the human voice, especially the voice of their caregivers, from a very early age.

Question 2

Which one of the following statements is consistent with a sociocultural view of language development?
A) "Children initially use language primarily in their interactions with other people, but increasingly they also use it to help them think more effectively."
B) "From a very early age, children are motivated to learn how to speak, because speech enables them to interact with other people and, ultimately, to get what they want."
C) "Although children can learn the specific vocabulary and syntax of their native language only by hearing the people around them speak it, they seem to have some built-in knowledge of the form that any language should take."
D) "To foster children's language development, parents and other adults praise them first for making speechlike sounds ('Da-da'), later for saying recognizable words ('More!'), and still later for forming understandable sentences ('Can I have candy?')."

Accepted Answer

The sociocultural view of language development emphasizes the importance of social interactions and cultural context in learning language. Statement A reflects this perspective by highlighting the role of language in social interactions and its use as a cognitive tool, consistent with Vygotsky's theories.

Question 3

Which one of the following statements is consistent with a functionalist view of language development?
A) "Children initially use language primarily in their interactions with other people, but increasingly they also use it to help them think more effectively."
B) "From a very early age, children are motivated to learn how to speak, because speech enables them to interact with other people and, ultimately, to get what they want."
C) "Although children can learn the specific vocabulary and syntax of their native language only by hearing the people around them speak it, they seem to have some built-in knowledge of the form that any language should take."
D) "To foster children's language development, parents and other adults praise them first for making speechlike sounds ('Da-da'), later for saying recognizable words ('More!'), and still later for forming understandable sentences ('Can I have candy?')."

Accepted Answer

Functionalist views emphasize the role of language in social interaction and fulfilling needs, aligning with the idea that children are motivated to learn language to interact and achieve goals.

Question 4

Janis uses the term teddy to refer to all of her stuffed toys, including teddy bears, stuffed bunnies, stuffed birds, and even a stuffed lizard. In doing so, she is showing:
A) overregularization
B) overextension
C) underextension
D) too much dependence on defining features

Accepted Answer

Janis is demonstrating overextension by applying the term "teddy" to a wide range of stuffed toys, not just teddy bears. Overextension occurs when a child uses a word in a broader context than is appropriate, extending its meaning to include objects that do not fit the word's more accurate or conventional meaning.

Question 5

Which one of the following situations illustrates the phenomenon of overextension in semantic development? In each case, the word in question is in quotes.
A) Alvin doesn't understand why he can't build an "igloo" in the summer.
B) Brady thinks that all "igloos" are made out of Styrofoam.
C) Calvin denies that a palm tree is a "tree."
D) Daniel calls a tall sunflower a "tree."

Accepted Answer

Overextension in semantic development occurs when a child applies a word too broadly, beyond its usual adult meaning. In this case, Daniel calling a tall sunflower a "tree" illustrates overextension, as he is applying the term "tree" to an object (sunflower) that does not fit the adult definition of a tree.

Question 6

Three-year-old Robert is visiting the local zoo with his preschool class. When his teacher exclaims, "Look at the giraffe!" Robert first looks at the teacher's face and then follows her gaze to the strange creature she is looking at. Robert's behavior in this situation reflects:
A) semantic bootstrapping
B) functionalism
C) pragmatics
D) intersubjectivity

Accepted Answer

Robert's behavior demonstrates intersubjectivity, which refers to the shared understanding between two individuals about a topic. In this case, Robert is sharing attention and understanding with his teacher about the giraffe by following her gaze.

Question 7

Which one of the following statements is consistent with a nativist view of language development?
A) "Children initially use language primarily in their interactions with other people, but increasingly they also use it to help them think more effectively."
B) "From a very early age, children are motivated to learn how to speak, because speech enables them to interact with other people and, ultimately, to get what they want."
C) "Although children can learn the specific vocabulary and syntax of their native language only by hearing the people around them speak it, they seem to have some built-in knowledge of the form that any language should take."
D) "To foster children's language development, parents and other adults praise them first for making speechlike sounds ('Da-da'), later for saying recognizable words ('More!'), and still later for forming understandable sentences ('Can I have candy?')."

Accepted Answer

Nativist theories, such as those proposed by Noam Chomsky, suggest that children are born with an innate ability or predisposition for language acquisition, which includes an inherent understanding of the structure of language. This is reflected in statement C, which mentions built-in knowledge of language form.

Question 8

Tina is an English language learner. She is learning in a regular third grade classroom. Her teacher and her classmates all speak English and she receives no instruction or assistance in her native language. Most likely Tina is learning in which of the following programs?
A) Immersion
B) Developmental bilingual education
C) Submersion
D) Structured English immersion

Accepted Answer

Tina is in a situation often referred to as "submersion," where an English language learner is placed in a mainstream classroom without any specific support for learning English or assistance in her native language. This contrasts with programs specifically designed to support English language learners, such as bilingual education or structured English immersion programs.

Question 9

Considering what we have learned from research regarding cognitive and linguistic development, we should expect elementary school children to have the greatest difficulty understanding the meaning of which one of the following words?
A) however
B) somersault
C) swim
D) vehicle

Accepted Answer

"However" is an abstract conjunction used to contrast ideas, which is more complex and harder for young children to grasp compared to the concrete nouns and action verbs like "somersault," "swim," and "vehicle."

Question 10

Which one of the following is typically not used with English language learners?
A) Submersion
B) Structured English immersion programs
C) Foreign language instruction
D) Bilingual education

Accepted Answer

Foreign language instruction is typically not used with English language learners (ELLs) in the context of teaching them English. Instead, it refers to teaching a language that is foreign to the students, which is not the goal when the objective is to teach ELLs English. The other options are methods or programs designed to support English language acquisition.

Question 11

Roger uses the word ball only to refer to his favorite red ball with white stars on it. In doing so, Roger is showing:
A) fast mapping
B) overextension
C) underextension
D) pragmatics in his language usage

Accepted Answer

Underextension occurs when a child uses a word in a more restricted way than adults do. In this case, Roger is using the word "ball" to refer only to his specific favorite red ball with white stars, rather than to all objects that could be classified as balls. This is a common phenomenon in language development among children.

Question 12

Early explanations of language development rested heavily on the roles of modeling and reinforcement in learning language. Which one of the following children's utterances casts doubt on the idea that modeling and reinforcement are sufficient to explain how children acquire language?
A) "More!"
B) "No do dat no more!"
C) "Where are you going?"
D) "Peek-a-boo, I see you!"

Accepted Answer

Choice B ("No do dat no more!") suggests that the child is creating novel sentence structures that they may not have directly heard from adults, indicating an internal understanding of language rules beyond simple mimicry or reinforcement. This challenges the idea that modeling and reinforcement alone are sufficient for language acquisition.

Question 13

Four-year-old Brandon's father is an aeronautical engineer who often talks about his work at home. At preschool, Brandon uses the word trajectory as he plays with a toy racecar track. Although he uses the word correctly, you are fairly certain that he does not fully understand what it means. Brandon's behavior is evidence that:
A) Language comprehension always precedes language production.
B) Language comprehension sometimes precedes language production.
C) Language production always precedes language comprehension.
D) Language production sometimes precedes language comprehension.

Accepted Answer

Language production sometimes precedes language comprehension, as evidenced by Brandon's correct use of the word "trajectory" without fully understanding its meaning. This shows that children can mimic words and phrases they hear, even if they do not fully grasp their concepts.

Question 14

Which one of the following statements is consistent with B. F. Skinner's view of language development?
A) "Children initially use language primarily in their interactions with other people, but increasingly they also use it to help them think more effectively."
B) "From a very early age, children are motivated to learn how to speak, because speech enables them to interact with other people and, ultimately, to get what they want."
C) "Although children can learn the specific vocabulary and syntax of their native language only by hearing the people around them speak it, they seem to have some built-in knowledge of the form that any language should take."
D) "To foster children's language development, parents and other adults praise them first for making speechlike sounds ('Da-da'), later for saying recognizable words ('More!'), and still later for forming understandable sentences ('Can I have candy?')."

Accepted Answer

Skinner's view of language development is based on behaviorist principles, emphasizing reinforcement and conditioning. Statement D aligns with this view, as it describes language development through reinforcement by adults.

Question 15

Which of the following will be least effective for children who are learning a second language in traditional foreign language instruction?
A) Cultural awareness lessons
B) Community involvement lessons
C) Grammatical lessons
D) Oral communication lessons

Accepted Answer

Grammatical lessons are typically less effective for children learning a second language in traditional settings, as they often emphasize rules over practical usage, making it harder for young learners to engage and apply the language in real-life contexts.

Question 16

Which one of the following remarks addressed to 18-month-old José best illustrates infant-directed speech?
A) "José want juice?"
B) "José, come back here, you silly boy!"
C) "Would you like me to read you a bedtime story?"
D) "Oh my goodness, it's time to change your diaper, isn't it?"

Accepted Answer

Infant-directed speech often involves simplifying language and using a higher pitch, which is evident in option A, where the speaker simplifies the sentence structure and directly addresses José's potential desire, making it more accessible and engaging for a young child.

Question 17

As you work with 3-year-old Effie, you keep track of all the new words she uses. You find that, on average, Effie uses two or three new words every week over a period of several months. Based on this information, Effie's language development:
A) Is slower than what you would expect for a 3-year-old
B) Is about average for what you would expect for a 3-year-old
C) Is slighter faster than what you would expect for a 3-year-old
D) Indicates exceptionally high intelligence

Accepted Answer

The answer of As you work with 3-year-old Effie, you...

Question 18

As 2-year-old David and his father go into the family garden one day, Dad exclaims, "Look at all the wonderful daisies!" David infers that the only plants blooming in the garden must be called daisies. David's inference is an example of:
A) expansion
B) fast mapping
C) functionalism
D) semantic bootstrapping

Accepted Answer

Fast mapping is the process by which children quickly connect a new word with its meaning after only a brief encounter, as David did with "daisies."

Question 19

Gabrielle asks her mother, "When we go library?" Gabrielle's question is an example of:
A) a holophrase
B) overregularization
C) receptive language
D) expressive language

Accepted Answer

Gabrielle's question is an example of expressive language, which refers to the ability to use words, sentences, gestures, and writing to convey meaning and messages to others. In this case, Gabrielle is using words to express her desire or question about going to the library.

Question 20

Which one of the following statements most accurately describes what developmental theorists mean when they talk about a language acquisition device?
A) A built-in mechanism that makes language learning especially easy for human beings
B) A culture-specific symbolic system that encompasses all the syntactic rules of a particular language
C) A particular area of the human cortex that seems to "hold" all of the words that a child learns
D) A handheld computer that enables people who speak very different languages to communicate easily with one another

Accepted Answer

A language acquisition device, as proposed by Noam Chomsky, refers to a hypothetical module in the human brain theorized to be responsible for the innate predisposition for language acquisition. This concept suggests that humans are born with a set of grammatical rules and structures pre-wired into their brains, making the process of learning a language natural and relatively easy.

Quiz 9: Language Development

Which one of the following statements is consistent with a sociocultural view of language development?

Which one of the following statements is consistent with a functionalist view of language development?

Janis uses the term teddy to refer to all of her stuffed toys, including teddy bears, stuffed bunnies, stuffed birds, and even a stuffed lizard. In doing so, she is showing:

Which one of the following situations illustrates the phenomenon of overextension in semantic development? In each case, the word in question is in quotes.

Three-year-old Robert is visiting the local zoo with his preschool class. When his teacher exclaims, "Look at the giraffe!" Robert first looks at the teacher's face and then follows her gaze to the strange creature she is looking at. Robert's behavior in this situation reflects:

Which one of the following statements is consistent with a nativist view of language development?

Tina is an English language learner. She is learning in a regular third grade classroom. Her teacher and her classmates all speak English and she receives no instruction or assistance in her native language. Most likely Tina is learning in which of the following programs?

Considering what we have learned from research regarding cognitive and linguistic development, we should expect elementary school children to have the greatest difficulty understanding the meaning of which one of the following words?

Which one of the following is typically not used with English language learners?

Roger uses the word ball only to refer to his favorite red ball with white stars on it. In doing so, Roger is showing:

Early explanations of language development rested heavily on the roles of modeling and reinforcement in learning language. Which one of the following children's utterances casts doubt on the idea that modeling and reinforcement are sufficient to explain how children acquire language?

Which one of the following statements is consistent with B. F. Skinner's view of language development?

Which of the following will be least effective for children who are learning a second language in traditional foreign language instruction?

Which one of the following remarks addressed to 18-month-old José best illustrates infant-directed speech?

As you work with 3-year-old Effie, you keep track of all the new words she uses. You find that, on average, Effie uses two or three new words every week over a period of several months. Based on this information, Effie's language development:

As 2-year-old David and his father go into the family garden one day, Dad exclaims, "Look at all the wonderful daisies!" David infers that the only plants blooming in the garden must be called daisies. David's inference is an example of:

Gabrielle asks her mother, "When we go library?" Gabrielle's question is an example of:

Which one of the following statements most accurately describes what developmental theorists mean when they talk about a language acquisition device?