The Rise of the “Bike Bus” Movement

01 On Earth Day* 2022, Sam Balto, a physical education teacher in Portland, convinced a few

02 dozen parents to send their kids to school on their bikes and posted the first in a series of videos

03 that turned his “bike bus” into a viral sensation. Balto has continued documenting his weekly

04 bike buses with joyous videos that show students rolling to school while he blasts music from an

05 eclectic collection of artists, including AC/DC, Metallica, and OneRepublic. Over time, these

06 boisterous bike buses have grown to more than 150 kids. “The more these kids practice riding

07 bikes, the more confident they become. And now they want to keep riding on non-bike bus days,

08 and even on rainy days!” said Balto.

09 Balto’s bike bus is much more than a fad. His TikTok and Twitter videos have raked in

10 millions of views, inspiring similar initiatives in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Utah, Ohio, and

11 Texas. Bike buses previously existed in European cities such as Barcelona and London, but new

12 ones in cities like Cape Town are now joining the trend. Nancy Pullen-Seufert, the director of the

13 National Center for Safe Routes to School, said biking and walking to school have myriad benefits,

14 including “improving air quality, improving safety for walkers and bicyclists, increasing physical

15 activity, and making it easier for school buses and others who can’t actively travel to school to

16 arrive to school on time.”

17 Balto has also triggered real political change by working with lawmakers to pass a so-called

18 “Bike Bus Bill”, that was signed into law by Oregon Governor Tina Kotek in August. “The bill

19 brings flexibility so school districts can now use student transportation funds, which were

20 previously only for school buses, to pay for crossing guards or adults to lead walking school buses

21 or bike buses. It’s awesome.” Balto said. And he is not the only bike bus leader driving positive

22 change in Oregon… Last year, Megan Ramey, who has been organizing a bike bus ___ 2020, was

23 named the Safe Routes to School Manager at Hood River County School District and since then,

24 she has secured nearly $11 million in funding to make it safer for kids to walk and bike to school.

25 “I feel like I'm in a cash-grabbing machine. We just got $7 million to create an off-road trail to

26 the high school. This means kids will be able to bike to high school on a green trail instead of a

27 car-centered road,” said Ramey.

28 Nearly 90% of kids walked to school in 1969. Half a century later, in 2017, that number

29 had fallen to just 10%. That year, a third of students took the school bus and more than half

30 were driven in a private vehicle. This has led to more pollution, with researchers finding that

31 toxic car fumes have an adverse effect on attention, reasoning, and academic performance

32 among school children. In New York, the Open Schools Program has helped increase biking and

33 walking in the 65 schools that restricted traffic during drop-off and pick-up times this year, said

34 Sabina Sethi Unni, who works at Open Plans, a non-profit that supports the shift to walkable

35 cities. “This program makes kids more comfortable with walking and biking at a young age. When

36 they get older, they will be cyclists instead of car users,” said Unni.

(Available in: https://www.distilled.earth/p/the-rise-of-the-bike-bus-movement – text especially adapted for this test).

*Earth Day: a day in April designated for promoting concern for the environment (Merriam-Webster).

The Rise of the “Bike Bus” Movement

01 On Earth Day* 2022, Sam Balto, a physical education teacher in Portland, convinced a few

02 dozen parents to send their kids to school on their bikes and posted the first in a series of videos

03 that turned his “bike bus” into a viral sensation. Balto has continued documenting his weekly

04 bike buses with joyous videos that show students rolling to school while he blasts music from an

05 eclectic collection of artists, including AC/DC, Metallica, and OneRepublic. Over time, these

06 boisterous bike buses have grown to more than 150 kids. “The more these kids practice riding

07 bikes, the more confident they become. And now they want to keep riding on non-bike bus days,

08 and even on rainy days!” said Balto.

09 Balto’s bike bus is much more than a fad. His TikTok and Twitter videos have raked in

10 millions of views, inspiring similar initiatives in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Utah, Ohio, and

11 Texas. Bike buses previously existed in European cities such as Barcelona and London, but new

12 ones in cities like Cape Town are now joining the trend. Nancy Pullen-Seufert, the director of the

13 National Center for Safe Routes to School, said biking and walking to school have myriad benefits,

14 including “improving air quality, improving safety for walkers and bicyclists, increasing physical

15 activity, and making it easier for school buses and others who can’t actively travel to school to

16 arrive to school on time.”

17 Balto has also triggered real political change by working with lawmakers to pass a so-called

18 “Bike Bus Bill”, that was signed into law by Oregon Governor Tina Kotek in August. “The bill

19 brings flexibility so school districts can now use student transportation funds, which were

20 previously only for school buses, to pay for crossing guards or adults to lead walking school buses

21 or bike buses. It’s awesome.” Balto said. And he is not the only bike bus leader driving positive

22 change in Oregon… Last year, Megan Ramey, who has been organizing a bike bus ___ 2020, was

23 named the Safe Routes to School Manager at Hood River County School District and since then,

24 she has secured nearly $11 million in funding to make it safer for kids to walk and bike to school.

25 “I feel like I'm in a cash-grabbing machine. We just got $7 million to create an off-road trail to

26 the high school. This means kids will be able to bike to high school on a green trail instead of a

27 car-centered road,” said Ramey.

28 Nearly 90% of kids walked to school in 1969. Half a century later, in 2017, that number

29 had fallen to just 10%. That year, a third of students took the school bus and more than half

30 were driven in a private vehicle. This has led to more pollution, with researchers finding that

31 toxic car fumes have an adverse effect on attention, reasoning, and academic performance

32 among school children. In New York, the Open Schools Program has helped increase biking and

33 walking in the 65 schools that restricted traffic during drop-off and pick-up times this year, said

34 Sabina Sethi Unni, who works at Open Plans, a non-profit that supports the shift to walkable

35 cities. “This program makes kids more comfortable with walking and biking at a young age. When

36 they get older, they will be cyclists instead of car users,” said Unni.

(Available in: https://www.distilled.earth/p/the-rise-of-the-bike-bus-movement – text especially adapted for this test).

*Earth Day: a day in April designated for promoting concern for the environment (Merriam-Webster).

The Rise of the “Bike Bus” Movement

01 On Earth Day* 2022, Sam Balto, a physical education teacher in Portland, convinced a few

02 dozen parents to send their kids to school on their bikes and posted the first in a series of videos

03 that turned his “bike bus” into a viral sensation. Balto has continued documenting his weekly

04 bike buses with joyous videos that show students rolling to school while he blasts music from an

05 eclectic collection of artists, including AC/DC, Metallica, and OneRepublic. Over time, these

06 boisterous bike buses have grown to more than 150 kids. “The more these kids practice riding

07 bikes, the more confident they become. And now they want to keep riding on non-bike bus days,

08 and even on rainy days!” said Balto.

09 Balto’s bike bus is much more than a fad. His TikTok and Twitter videos have raked in

10 millions of views, inspiring similar initiatives in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Utah, Ohio, and

11 Texas. Bike buses previously existed in European cities such as Barcelona and London, but new

12 ones in cities like Cape Town are now joining the trend. Nancy Pullen-Seufert, the director of the

13 National Center for Safe Routes to School, said biking and walking to school have myriad benefits,

14 including “improving air quality, improving safety for walkers and bicyclists, increasing physical

15 activity, and making it easier for school buses and others who can’t actively travel to school to

16 arrive to school on time.”

17 Balto has also triggered real political change by working with lawmakers to pass a so-called

18 “Bike Bus Bill”, that was signed into law by Oregon Governor Tina Kotek in August. “The bill

19 brings flexibility so school districts can now use student transportation funds, which were

20 previously only for school buses, to pay for crossing guards or adults to lead walking school buses

21 or bike buses. It’s awesome.” Balto said. And he is not the only bike bus leader driving positive

22 change in Oregon… Last year, Megan Ramey, who has been organizing a bike bus ___ 2020, was

23 named the Safe Routes to School Manager at Hood River County School District and since then,

24 she has secured nearly $11 million in funding to make it safer for kids to walk and bike to school.

25 “I feel like I'm in a cash-grabbing machine. We just got $7 million to create an off-road trail to

26 the high school. This means kids will be able to bike to high school on a green trail instead of a

27 car-centered road,” said Ramey.

28 Nearly 90% of kids walked to school in 1969. Half a century later, in 2017, that number

29 had fallen to just 10%. That year, a third of students took the school bus and more than half

30 were driven in a private vehicle. This has led to more pollution, with researchers finding that

31 toxic car fumes have an adverse effect on attention, reasoning, and academic performance

32 among school children. In New York, the Open Schools Program has helped increase biking and

33 walking in the 65 schools that restricted traffic during drop-off and pick-up times this year, said

34 Sabina Sethi Unni, who works at Open Plans, a non-profit that supports the shift to walkable

35 cities. “This program makes kids more comfortable with walking and biking at a young age. When

36 they get older, they will be cyclists instead of car users,” said Unni.

(Available in: https://www.distilled.earth/p/the-rise-of-the-bike-bus-movement – text especially adapted for this test).

*Earth Day: a day in April designated for promoting concern for the environment (Merriam-Webster).

Theories of Language Acquisition

Language acquisition refers to how humans can develop the ability to understand and use language. Numerous language acquisition theories in the English Language aim to understand and explain how the process begins and progresses. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable theories of language acquisition, along with the theorists of language development.

There are four main theories of language acquisition that we learn in English Language. These are:

Behavioural theory (BF Skinner theory of language acquisition)

The Behavioural theory of language acquisition, sometimes called the Imitation Theory, is part of behaviourist theory.

Behaviourism proposes that we are a product of our environment.

Therefore, children have no internal mechanism or ability to develop language by themselves. BF Skinner (1957) suggests that children learn the language first by imitating their caregivers (usually parents) and then modifying their use of language due to operant conditioning.

Skinner suggested that children first learn words and phrases from their caregivers or others around them and eventually try to say and use those words correctly. In this case, operant conditioning occurs when a caregiver responds to the child’s attempt at using language. If the child uses language correctly, the caregiver may respond by telling the child they’re clever or otherwise showing their approval. If the child makes a request, such as asking for food, the caregiver may reward the child by providing it. This is positive reinforcement. If the child uses language incorrectly, makes a mistake, or is incoherent, they are more likely to receive negative reinforcement from the caregiver.

They can be told they’re wrong and then be corrected or simply be ignored. Negative reinforcement teaches the child which mistakes to avoid and how to correct them.

Cognitive theory (Jean Piaget theory of language acquisition)

The Cognitive theory of language acquisition suggests that the primary drives behind our actions are our thoughts and internal processes. Jean Piaget (1923) assumes that children are born with relatively little cognitive ability, but their minds develop and build new schemas (ideas and understanding of how the world works) as they age and experience the world around them.

Eventually, they can apply language to their schemas through assimilation (fitting new information into what is already known) and accommodation (changing one’s schemas to support new information).

Piaget believed that cognitive development had to come before language development because it would be impossible for children to express things that they don’t yet understand. For example, a younger child with no sense of time couldn’t express things in the future tense or speak hypothetically, no matter how much they are taught language.

Nativist theory (Noam Chomsky theory of language acquisition)

Noam Chomsky (1957) proposes that children are born with an instinct or drive for language learning which he calls the language acquisition device (LAD). He argued that even if a child is not educated in their country’s language, so long as they grow in a normal environment, they will still devise a system of verbal communication. Therefore, there must be an innate, biological component to language acquisition.

Interactionist theory (Jerome Bruner theory of language acquisition)

Jerome Bruner (1961) believed that children are born with an ability to develop language but they require regular interaction with their caregivers or teachers to learn and understand it to a level of full fluency. This idea is known as the Language Acquisition Support System (LASS).

Caregivers tend to correct mistakes that children make when using language and also regularly teach them what objects are and what their purposes are. Bruner suggests that this helps to build the scaffolding that children will later rely on when further developing language.

A caregiver may also use child-directed speech (CDS), altering their own use of language to make it easier for a child to conceptualize language independently.

Adapted from: https://www.studysmarter.us/explanations/english/ languageacquisition/

theories-of-language-acquisition Acesso em 14/07/2023

Theories of Language Acquisition

Language acquisition refers to how humans can develop the ability to understand and use language. Numerous language acquisition theories in the English Language aim to understand and explain how the process begins and progresses. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable theories of language acquisition, along with the theorists of language development.

There are four main theories of language acquisition that we learn in English Language. These are:

Behavioural theory (BF Skinner theory of language acquisition)

The Behavioural theory of language acquisition, sometimes called the Imitation Theory, is part of behaviourist theory.

Behaviourism proposes that we are a product of our environment.

Therefore, children have no internal mechanism or ability to develop language by themselves. BF Skinner (1957) suggests that children learn the language first by imitating their caregivers (usually parents) and then modifying their use of language due to operant conditioning.

Skinner suggested that children first learn words and phrases from their caregivers or others around them and eventually try to say and use those words correctly. In this case, operant conditioning occurs when a caregiver responds to the child’s attempt at using language. If the child uses language correctly, the caregiver may respond by telling the child they’re clever or otherwise showing their approval. If the child makes a request, such as asking for food, the caregiver may reward the child by providing it. This is positive reinforcement. If the child uses language incorrectly, makes a mistake, or is incoherent, they are more likely to receive negative reinforcement from the caregiver.

They can be told they’re wrong and then be corrected or simply be ignored. Negative reinforcement teaches the child which mistakes to avoid and how to correct them.

Cognitive theory (Jean Piaget theory of language acquisition)

The Cognitive theory of language acquisition suggests that the primary drives behind our actions are our thoughts and internal processes. Jean Piaget (1923) assumes that children are born with relatively little cognitive ability, but their minds develop and build new schemas (ideas and understanding of how the world works) as they age and experience the world around them.

Eventually, they can apply language to their schemas through assimilation (fitting new information into what is already known) and accommodation (changing one’s schemas to support new information).

Piaget believed that cognitive development had to come before language development because it would be impossible for children to express things that they don’t yet understand. For example, a younger child with no sense of time couldn’t express things in the future tense or speak hypothetically, no matter how much they are taught language.

Nativist theory (Noam Chomsky theory of language acquisition)

Noam Chomsky (1957) proposes that children are born with an instinct or drive for language learning which he calls the language acquisition device (LAD). He argued that even if a child is not educated in their country’s language, so long as they grow in a normal environment, they will still devise a system of verbal communication. Therefore, there must be an innate, biological component to language acquisition.

Interactionist theory (Jerome Bruner theory of language acquisition)

Jerome Bruner (1961) believed that children are born with an ability to develop language but they require regular interaction with their caregivers or teachers to learn and understand it to a level of full fluency. This idea is known as the Language Acquisition Support System (LASS).

Caregivers tend to correct mistakes that children make when using language and also regularly teach them what objects are and what their purposes are. Bruner suggests that this helps to build the scaffolding that children will later rely on when further developing language.

A caregiver may also use child-directed speech (CDS), altering their own use of language to make it easier for a child to conceptualize language independently.

Adapted from: https://www.studysmarter.us/explanations/english/ languageacquisition/

theories-of-language-acquisition Acesso em 14/07/2023

Theories of Language Acquisition

Language acquisition refers to how humans can develop the ability to understand and use language. Numerous language acquisition theories in the English Language aim to understand and explain how the process begins and progresses. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable theories of language acquisition, along with the theorists of language development.

There are four main theories of language acquisition that we learn in English Language. These are:

Behavioural theory (BF Skinner theory of language acquisition)

The Behavioural theory of language acquisition, sometimes called the Imitation Theory, is part of behaviourist theory.

Behaviourism proposes that we are a product of our environment.

Therefore, children have no internal mechanism or ability to develop language by themselves. BF Skinner (1957) suggests that children learn the language first by imitating their caregivers (usually parents) and then modifying their use of language due to operant conditioning.

Skinner suggested that children first learn words and phrases from their caregivers or others around them and eventually try to say and use those words correctly. In this case, operant conditioning occurs when a caregiver responds to the child’s attempt at using language. If the child uses language correctly, the caregiver may respond by telling the child they’re clever or otherwise showing their approval. If the child makes a request, such as asking for food, the caregiver may reward the child by providing it. This is positive reinforcement. If the child uses language incorrectly, makes a mistake, or is incoherent, they are more likely to receive negative reinforcement from the caregiver.

They can be told they’re wrong and then be corrected or simply be ignored. Negative reinforcement teaches the child which mistakes to avoid and how to correct them.

Cognitive theory (Jean Piaget theory of language acquisition)

The Cognitive theory of language acquisition suggests that the primary drives behind our actions are our thoughts and internal processes. Jean Piaget (1923) assumes that children are born with relatively little cognitive ability, but their minds develop and build new schemas (ideas and understanding of how the world works) as they age and experience the world around them.

Eventually, they can apply language to their schemas through assimilation (fitting new information into what is already known) and accommodation (changing one’s schemas to support new information).

Piaget believed that cognitive development had to come before language development because it would be impossible for children to express things that they don’t yet understand. For example, a younger child with no sense of time couldn’t express things in the future tense or speak hypothetically, no matter how much they are taught language.

Nativist theory (Noam Chomsky theory of language acquisition)

Noam Chomsky (1957) proposes that children are born with an instinct or drive for language learning which he calls the language acquisition device (LAD). He argued that even if a child is not educated in their country’s language, so long as they grow in a normal environment, they will still devise a system of verbal communication. Therefore, there must be an innate, biological component to language acquisition.

Interactionist theory (Jerome Bruner theory of language acquisition)

Jerome Bruner (1961) believed that children are born with an ability to develop language but they require regular interaction with their caregivers or teachers to learn and understand it to a level of full fluency. This idea is known as the Language Acquisition Support System (LASS).

Caregivers tend to correct mistakes that children make when using language and also regularly teach them what objects are and what their purposes are. Bruner suggests that this helps to build the scaffolding that children will later rely on when further developing language.

A caregiver may also use child-directed speech (CDS), altering their own use of language to make it easier for a child to conceptualize language independently.

Adapted from: https://www.studysmarter.us/explanations/english/ languageacquisition/

theories-of-language-acquisition Acesso em 14/07/2023

Theories of Language Acquisition

Language acquisition refers to how humans can develop the ability to understand and use language. Numerous language acquisition theories in the English Language aim to understand and explain how the process begins and progresses. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable theories of language acquisition, along with the theorists of language development.

There are four main theories of language acquisition that we learn in English Language. These are:

Behavioural theory (BF Skinner theory of language acquisition)

The Behavioural theory of language acquisition, sometimes called the Imitation Theory, is part of behaviourist theory.

Behaviourism proposes that we are a product of our environment.

Therefore, children have no internal mechanism or ability to develop language by themselves. BF Skinner (1957) suggests that children learn the language first by imitating their caregivers (usually parents) and then modifying their use of language due to operant conditioning.

Skinner suggested that children first learn words and phrases from their caregivers or others around them and eventually try to say and use those words correctly. In this case, operant conditioning occurs when a caregiver responds to the child’s attempt at using language. If the child uses language correctly, the caregiver may respond by telling the child they’re clever or otherwise showing their approval. If the child makes a request, such as asking for food, the caregiver may reward the child by providing it. This is positive reinforcement. If the child uses language incorrectly, makes a mistake, or is incoherent, they are more likely to receive negative reinforcement from the caregiver.

They can be told they’re wrong and then be corrected or simply be ignored. Negative reinforcement teaches the child which mistakes to avoid and how to correct them.

Cognitive theory (Jean Piaget theory of language acquisition)

The Cognitive theory of language acquisition suggests that the primary drives behind our actions are our thoughts and internal processes. Jean Piaget (1923) assumes that children are born with relatively little cognitive ability, but their minds develop and build new schemas (ideas and understanding of how the world works) as they age and experience the world around them.

Eventually, they can apply language to their schemas through assimilation (fitting new information into what is already known) and accommodation (changing one’s schemas to support new information).

Piaget believed that cognitive development had to come before language development because it would be impossible for children to express things that they don’t yet understand. For example, a younger child with no sense of time couldn’t express things in the future tense or speak hypothetically, no matter how much they are taught language.

Nativist theory (Noam Chomsky theory of language acquisition)

Noam Chomsky (1957) proposes that children are born with an instinct or drive for language learning which he calls the language acquisition device (LAD). He argued that even if a child is not educated in their country’s language, so long as they grow in a normal environment, they will still devise a system of verbal communication. Therefore, there must be an innate, biological component to language acquisition.

Interactionist theory (Jerome Bruner theory of language acquisition)

Jerome Bruner (1961) believed that children are born with an ability to develop language but they require regular interaction with their caregivers or teachers to learn and understand it to a level of full fluency. This idea is known as the Language Acquisition Support System (LASS).

Caregivers tend to correct mistakes that children make when using language and also regularly teach them what objects are and what their purposes are. Bruner suggests that this helps to build the scaffolding that children will later rely on when further developing language.

A caregiver may also use child-directed speech (CDS), altering their own use of language to make it easier for a child to conceptualize language independently.

Adapted from: https://www.studysmarter.us/explanations/english/ languageacquisition/

theories-of-language-acquisition Acesso em 14/07/2023

Theories of Language Acquisition

Language acquisition refers to how humans can develop the ability to understand and use language. Numerous language acquisition theories in the English Language aim to understand and explain how the process begins and progresses. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable theories of language acquisition, along with the theorists of language development.

There are four main theories of language acquisition that we learn in English Language. These are:

Behavioural theory (BF Skinner theory of language acquisition)

The Behavioural theory of language acquisition, sometimes called the Imitation Theory, is part of behaviourist theory.

Behaviourism proposes that we are a product of our environment.

Therefore, children have no internal mechanism or ability to develop language by themselves. BF Skinner (1957) suggests that children learn the language first by imitating their caregivers (usually parents) and then modifying their use of language due to operant conditioning.

Skinner suggested that children first learn words and phrases from their caregivers or others around them and eventually try to say and use those words correctly. In this case, operant conditioning occurs when a caregiver responds to the child’s attempt at using language. If the child uses language correctly, the caregiver may respond by telling the child they’re clever or otherwise showing their approval. If the child makes a request, such as asking for food, the caregiver may reward the child by providing it. This is positive reinforcement. If the child uses language incorrectly, makes a mistake, or is incoherent, they are more likely to receive negative reinforcement from the caregiver.

They can be told they’re wrong and then be corrected or simply be ignored. Negative reinforcement teaches the child which mistakes to avoid and how to correct them.

Cognitive theory (Jean Piaget theory of language acquisition)

The Cognitive theory of language acquisition suggests that the primary drives behind our actions are our thoughts and internal processes. Jean Piaget (1923) assumes that children are born with relatively little cognitive ability, but their minds develop and build new schemas (ideas and understanding of how the world works) as they age and experience the world around them.

Eventually, they can apply language to their schemas through assimilation (fitting new information into what is already known) and accommodation (changing one’s schemas to support new information).

Piaget believed that cognitive development had to come before language development because it would be impossible for children to express things that they don’t yet understand. For example, a younger child with no sense of time couldn’t express things in the future tense or speak hypothetically, no matter how much they are taught language.

Nativist theory (Noam Chomsky theory of language acquisition)

Noam Chomsky (1957) proposes that children are born with an instinct or drive for language learning which he calls the language acquisition device (LAD). He argued that even if a child is not educated in their country’s language, so long as they grow in a normal environment, they will still devise a system of verbal communication. Therefore, there must be an innate, biological component to language acquisition.

Interactionist theory (Jerome Bruner theory of language acquisition)

Jerome Bruner (1961) believed that children are born with an ability to develop language but they require regular interaction with their caregivers or teachers to learn and understand it to a level of full fluency. This idea is known as the Language Acquisition Support System (LASS).

Caregivers tend to correct mistakes that children make when using language and also regularly teach them what objects are and what their purposes are. Bruner suggests that this helps to build the scaffolding that children will later rely on when further developing language.

A caregiver may also use child-directed speech (CDS), altering their own use of language to make it easier for a child to conceptualize language independently.

Adapted from: https://www.studysmarter.us/explanations/english/ languageacquisition/

theories-of-language-acquisition Acesso em 14/07/2023

Theories of Language Acquisition

Language acquisition refers to how humans can develop the ability to understand and use language. Numerous language acquisition theories in the English Language aim to understand and explain how the process begins and progresses. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable theories of language acquisition, along with the theorists of language development.

There are four main theories of language acquisition that we learn in English Language. These are:

Behavioural theory (BF Skinner theory of language acquisition)

The Behavioural theory of language acquisition, sometimes called the Imitation Theory, is part of behaviourist theory.

Behaviourism proposes that we are a product of our environment.

Therefore, children have no internal mechanism or ability to develop language by themselves. BF Skinner (1957) suggests that children learn the language first by imitating their caregivers (usually parents) and then modifying their use of language due to operant conditioning.

Skinner suggested that children first learn words and phrases from their caregivers or others around them and eventually try to say and use those words correctly. In this case, operant conditioning occurs when a caregiver responds to the child’s attempt at using language. If the child uses language correctly, the caregiver may respond by telling the child they’re clever or otherwise showing their approval. If the child makes a request, such as asking for food, the caregiver may reward the child by providing it. This is positive reinforcement. If the child uses language incorrectly, makes a mistake, or is incoherent, they are more likely to receive negative reinforcement from the caregiver.

They can be told they’re wrong and then be corrected or simply be ignored. Negative reinforcement teaches the child which mistakes to avoid and how to correct them.

Cognitive theory (Jean Piaget theory of language acquisition)

The Cognitive theory of language acquisition suggests that the primary drives behind our actions are our thoughts and internal processes. Jean Piaget (1923) assumes that children are born with relatively little cognitive ability, but their minds develop and build new schemas (ideas and understanding of how the world works) as they age and experience the world around them.

Eventually, they can apply language to their schemas through assimilation (fitting new information into what is already known) and accommodation (changing one’s schemas to support new information).

Piaget believed that cognitive development had to come before language development because it would be impossible for children to express things that they don’t yet understand. For example, a younger child with no sense of time couldn’t express things in the future tense or speak hypothetically, no matter how much they are taught language.

Nativist theory (Noam Chomsky theory of language acquisition)

Noam Chomsky (1957) proposes that children are born with an instinct or drive for language learning which he calls the language acquisition device (LAD). He argued that even if a child is not educated in their country’s language, so long as they grow in a normal environment, they will still devise a system of verbal communication. Therefore, there must be an innate, biological component to language acquisition.

Interactionist theory (Jerome Bruner theory of language acquisition)

Jerome Bruner (1961) believed that children are born with an ability to develop language but they require regular interaction with their caregivers or teachers to learn and understand it to a level of full fluency. This idea is known as the Language Acquisition Support System (LASS).

Caregivers tend to correct mistakes that children make when using language and also regularly teach them what objects are and what their purposes are. Bruner suggests that this helps to build the scaffolding that children will later rely on when further developing language.

A caregiver may also use child-directed speech (CDS), altering their own use of language to make it easier for a child to conceptualize language independently.

Adapted from: https://www.studysmarter.us/explanations/english/ languageacquisition/

theories-of-language-acquisition Acesso em 14/07/2023

Theories of Language Acquisition

Language acquisition refers to how humans can develop the ability to understand and use language. Numerous language acquisition theories in the English Language aim to understand and explain how the process begins and progresses. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable theories of language acquisition, along with the theorists of language development.

There are four main theories of language acquisition that we learn in English Language. These are:

Behavioural theory (BF Skinner theory of language acquisition)

The Behavioural theory of language acquisition, sometimes called the Imitation Theory, is part of behaviourist theory.

Behaviourism proposes that we are a product of our environment.

Therefore, children have no internal mechanism or ability to develop language by themselves. BF Skinner (1957) suggests that children learn the language first by imitating their caregivers (usually parents) and then modifying their use of language due to operant conditioning.

Skinner suggested that children first learn words and phrases from their caregivers or others around them and eventually try to say and use those words correctly. In this case, operant conditioning occurs when a caregiver responds to the child’s attempt at using language. If the child uses language correctly, the caregiver may respond by telling the child they’re clever or otherwise showing their approval. If the child makes a request, such as asking for food, the caregiver may reward the child by providing it. This is positive reinforcement. If the child uses language incorrectly, makes a mistake, or is incoherent, they are more likely to receive negative reinforcement from the caregiver.

They can be told they’re wrong and then be corrected or simply be ignored. Negative reinforcement teaches the child which mistakes to avoid and how to correct them.

Cognitive theory (Jean Piaget theory of language acquisition)

The Cognitive theory of language acquisition suggests that the primary drives behind our actions are our thoughts and internal processes. Jean Piaget (1923) assumes that children are born with relatively little cognitive ability, but their minds develop and build new schemas (ideas and understanding of how the world works) as they age and experience the world around them.

Eventually, they can apply language to their schemas through assimilation (fitting new information into what is already known) and accommodation (changing one’s schemas to support new information).

Piaget believed that cognitive development had to come before language development because it would be impossible for children to express things that they don’t yet understand. For example, a younger child with no sense of time couldn’t express things in the future tense or speak hypothetically, no matter how much they are taught language.

Nativist theory (Noam Chomsky theory of language acquisition)

Noam Chomsky (1957) proposes that children are born with an instinct or drive for language learning which he calls the language acquisition device (LAD). He argued that even if a child is not educated in their country’s language, so long as they grow in a normal environment, they will still devise a system of verbal communication. Therefore, there must be an innate, biological component to language acquisition.

Interactionist theory (Jerome Bruner theory of language acquisition)

Jerome Bruner (1961) believed that children are born with an ability to develop language but they require regular interaction with their caregivers or teachers to learn and understand it to a level of full fluency. This idea is known as the Language Acquisition Support System (LASS).

Caregivers tend to correct mistakes that children make when using language and also regularly teach them what objects are and what their purposes are. Bruner suggests that this helps to build the scaffolding that children will later rely on when further developing language.

A caregiver may also use child-directed speech (CDS), altering their own use of language to make it easier for a child to conceptualize language independently.

Adapted from: https://www.studysmarter.us/explanations/english/ languageacquisition/

theories-of-language-acquisition Acesso em 14/07/2023