Behaviorist Theory

LANGUAGE LEARNING THEORY

 What is Behaviorist Theory?
Suggested by B. F. Skinner

Behaviorism focuses on the idea that all behaviors are

learned through interaction with the environment.

Suggest that language is learnt through a process

including imitation, reinforcement and reward.
 Primary processes in language
development :

Imitation
Word-for-word repetition of
all / part of someone else's
utterance.
Example :
Mother : Shall we play with
the dolls ?
Child : Play with dolls
Practice
Repetitive manipulation of
form.
Example :
Child : She eat apples. The
other one eat apples. They
both eat apples.
3 Others Elements :

STIMULUS
RESPONSE
(PROVIDED BY
(BY LEARNER)
INSTRUCTOR)

REINFORCEMENT
(PROVIDED BY
INSTRUCTOR)
 Patterns in
language

Learning Focus on meaning

Patterns Question
formation

Order of events
 Patterns in language
The child forms the verb 'doc' from the noun
'doctor', by analogy with farmers who farm

Example :
Mother : Maybe we need to take you to the doctor
Child : Why ? so he can doc my little bump ?
 Focus on meaning
The child thought that the word 'toast' had the
same meaning with 'a piece of bread'.

Example :
Father : I'd like to propose a toast.
Child : I'd like to propose a piece of bread.
 Question formation
The child think that the trick of asking
questions was to put 'are' at the beginning of
the sentence.

Example :
Are dogs can wiggle their tails ?
Are those are my boots ?
Are this is hot ?
 Order of events
The child made a mistake about which clause
comes first & the child did not understand
how a word like 'because' change the order of
cause and effect.

Example :
Child : You took all the towels away because I cant dry my hands.