Interaction Theory for Language Development

There are three theories that have discussed the process of language development: behaviourist, innatist and interactional perspectives. Each theory has it is own principles and beliefs. Personally, I do support the interactional theory because it stresses on the role of the environment and the society to develop the language of the child.

The interactional theory focuses on the importance of exposing the child to the different aspects and elements found in the world. The exposure leads effectively to develop and build the children schemata about different topics. Moreover, this theory is aware of the developmental stages that the child passes through. The developmental stages define what the child is capable of at specific age.

Piaget states that the child learns through discovery and interaction with the physical word or the environment .This interaction leads to build the students schemata about different topics.

.                                                                                                                   

  According to Vygotsky, the students’ learn through social interaction and if there is no interaction then this will hinder the language development process of the child. I do really agree with Vygotsky because when I took an online course to learn how to speak Spanish I failed to communicate effectively because there was no interaction with the society Social interaction is necessary to build the students ‘language.

It is good to mention that Vygotsky discusses the importance of scaffolding in language development. Scaffolding provides support to the students when they are in the process to learn something new. Scaffolding is necessary especially in the field of language acquisition because the children commit so many mistakes when they are newly acquiring a new language.

To sum things up, this theory stresses on the cognitive development of the child and on the importance of social interaction to develop and enhance the developmental processes of language acquisition .

Source:Book of Lightbown and Spada"How Languages are Learned".