Describe Three Or More Ways That Your Knowledge About Language Acquisition

Describe three or more ways that your knowledge about language acquisition and development has increased. This course has increased my knowledge about language acquisition and development in many ways. First, I have gained a deeper understanding in the language acquisition and development process. For example, I learned more about the five subsystems of language development which were phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. I did not realize that there was so much to the structure of language development. Secondly, my knowledge of language competence and language performance increased. Before learning the difference between the two, I would have just used the term language competence for both. However, I now know that there is a clear difference among the two levels of language. Language competence refers to one’s understanding of the rules of language and language performance refers to the use of the rules in everyday speech. But they both are essential to how children learn to talk. Finally, my knowledge of the many different influences and aspects of language development has increased. I didn’t realize

Watching the language development of children is truly an amazing process. I learned that it is so important to foster the language development of children. You don’t have to be a teacher or some kind of formal instructor to make an impact in how children develop their language. I saw evident of that in my first observation that I did with 2 ½ year old T.E. and her grandmother L.E. The conversation that I observed between the two was entertaining and informative. By interacting with her granddaughter, L.E. was continuing to foster T.E.’s language development, which T.E. has clearly already started on a great path in her language