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THEORIES OF LANGUAGE ACQUISITION IN RELATION TO BEGINNING READING INSTRUCTION 1
Author(s) -
Wardhaugh Ronald
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
language learning
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.882
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1467-9922
pISSN - 0023-8333
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-1770.1971.tb00487.x
Subject(s) - reading (process) , psychology , language acquisition , second language acquisition , imitation , meaning (existential) , linguistics , relation (database) , learning theory , psycholinguistics , cognition , cognitive psychology , cognitive science , mathematics education , computer science , philosophy , social psychology , database , neuroscience , psychotherapist
Various theories of language acquisition are discussed: behavioristic, nativistic, and cognitive. Linguistically‐oriented theories are compared with learning‐oriented theories, and four controversial issues of frequency of stimuli, imitation, expansion, and meaning are reviewed. The theories are all rather unsubstantial at present. Reading acquisition seems to be very different from language acquisition, and the theories of language acquisition appear to have little to offer anyone in coming to a better understanding of how beginning reading should be taught.