Early Language Development, Essay Example

Introduction

Language acquisition is an important part of growth. It could be understood that the process by which a child learns his first words would depend on the level of concentration that the child has on the environment that he is involved with. His growth as well as the development of his language does provide a determinable course of improvement especially in the manner by which the external elements surrounding him affects his process of thinking (Harris, 1992). Proper language acquisition is also affected by the emergence of cognitive system of development that the young child goes through. Cognitive learning is most often than not based on the buildup of information formed in the thinking process of the individual (Sakai, 2005). Such buildup is to be interpreted fairly by the mind depending on the correlation of how learning procedures are taken into full account by the individual.

This is the basic reason why the need for focused learning is necessary to be given attention to especially among young children. Focused learning is often determined to have a definite insistence on how language acquisition could be undergone successfully by a child. When the external elements surrounding a young child is not focused on setting solid path of development that the young individual could base his learning pattern from, it is most often than not expected that he will be confused especially because of the fact that his attention and his concentration on a single pattern of learning is disturbed by other elements that might affect such understanding of the subject.

In the discussion that follows, a particular concentration on how such thinking applies to an actual case shall be given attention to. The case of Sarah, a young child who has bilingual learning issues shall be examined accordingly based on how she grasps language learning responses. Her considerable involvement on a conversation shall be examined accordingly especially in relation to how she is able to establish meaning and how such meaning becomes a source of determinable understanding that builds up her capacity to respond through his first language [Cantonese] which also affects the way she acquires her second language.

About the Subject

Sarah is a young child who has a distinct background of the Chinese culture and is deeply rooted to her Cantonese language. Given this fact, it could be understood that she does have a definite foundation for language learning. However, the situation where she was immediately taken off from her roots and introduced to a new culture shattered the foundation for learning her original language and mastering it accordingly. This is where the conflict of learning comes in, which affects her overall learning process especially in relation to how she shall inhibit the need to learn a second language.

The Case

The observation point on Sarah’s language development could be seen to have been halted because of some important elements and events in her life. At such an early age, she has been introduced to two very different ad very distinct cultures that caused her to become less concentrated on the process of giving meaning to the language she uses. Notably, language-acquisition has become a secondary concern on hear learning especially when it comes to mastering her first language, Cantonese.

Basing from the responses that Sarah used to converse with her instructor, it could be observed how she is having a hard time understanding what she is being asked about; or at some point, she simply sets aside the meaning of the question being talked about and goes on responding with information that she has already set up in her mind during the first stretch of inquiry.

When it comes to phonological development, the use of English as a second language is somewhat most affective on how she was able to develop her mastery on her primary language, Cantonese. However, because of the fact that she was not able to acquire such matter, it could be understood that she is having a hard time forming words using the English language (Palmer, 2009). For instance, her word ‘pirate’ comes out as /pirah/ suggesting that she is trying to use syllabication as part of her process of understanding language development; something that is most often than not common in the word structures of the Cantonese language. Another example would be how she says the word “best friend’ which comes out as /bessfrenwen/. Although it is common for a young learner to make mistakes especially when utilizing the second language she is likely being expected to acquire, it is not common that she makes distinct mistakes over and over again especially when she is being corrected immediately. Again, this situation could be accounted against the fact that she was not able to acquire mastery of her first language first before she was introduced to a new set of words, a new set of grammar and a new syntax of sentences that she is supposed to use to communicate with others (Noam, 1959).

Analysis and Reflection

Concentration plays a great role in assuming what is noted as a definite indication of serious and focused learning. However, in the case of Sarah, being young and eager to see what is happening around her, makes the learning process a little bit harder to occur. Practically, it could be noted through the observation on how she responds to conversation patterns that she is having concentration issues. She is immediately being disturbed by elements surrounding her; she is also losing grasp of the subject she is being asked about especially because of the fact that she does not have enough vocabulary words learned that allows her to express herself freely. Her personal understanding on her own language affects the way she grasps the new structure of the second language she is aiming to acquire. She is also having a hard time giving meaning to the conversation she engages with especially because of the fact that she is being disturbed by the desire to share her thoughts and yet ends up wordless because of the incapacity to capture what she wants to share to the one she’s conversing with.

Conclusion 

Language can both be a bridge and a hindrance, especially to those who want to learn more. Children and their process of learning is considered to follow through a distinct pattern of development especially in terms of language development. Practically, this concept of learning is duly supported by the idea of determining a good sense of control on how the external environment of a child affects her learning and development process. In the case of Sarah, the influence coming from the outside elements does provide a distinct indication of how she is able to acquire a distinct sense of control on how she understands matters surrounding her especially in terms of conversations that she engages with. It is through this that she is likely to have the capacity to acquire a new language through the buildup of information in her thinking process thus affecting the way she responds to conversations she engages with.

References

Kendra A. Palmer (2009). “Understanding Human Language: An In-Depth Exploration of the Human Facility for Language“. StudentPulse.com. Retrieved 22 August 2012.

Noam, Chomsky; Skinner, B. F. (1959). “A Review of B. F. Skinner’s Verbal Behavior”. Language 35: 26–58. doi:10.2307/411334. JSTOR 411334.

Harris, Margaret (1992). Language Experience and Early Language Development: From Input to Uptake. UK: Psychology Press. ISBN 0863772382.

Kennison, Shelia M. (2013-07-30). Introduction to language development. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications.

Sakai, Kuniyoshi L. (2005). “Language Acquisition and Brain Development“. Science 310 (5749): 815–819. doi:10.1126/science.1113530.