According to the Nativist theory, humans have an innate ability to acquire language, and language is most easily acquired during a critical period in early childhood. The Language Acquisition device and Universal Grammar are the major concepts that support Noam Chomsky’s theory in general. The nativist theory posits that language learning is an innate process. Origins of the Nativist Theory of Language Development. Nicole Bombard-Smoot, Crystal Lankford, Lindsay Robinaugh, and Matthew Leman Innatist Theory In the Classroom Strengths Krashen’s Theory: Teachers should value acquisition over learning. Noam Chomsky was the first to propose the nativist theory. When looking at languages across the world, the vast majority are formed in the same basic ways. In the field of psychology, nativism is the view that certain skills or abilities are "native" or hard-wired into the brain at birth. The nativist perspective is a biologically based theory, which argues that humans are pre-programmed with the innate ability to develop language. Language development is a process and after decades of research the understanding of this process has Nativism NoamChomky s claim, in the late 1950s, that language ability is not habituated but an innate human capacity, prompted a reassessment of drill-and-repeat type teaching practices. Development stages of second language acquisition One concept endorsed by most current theorists is that of a continuum of learning—that is, predictable and Students exposed to formal He argued that the long-held learning theory of language development did not adequately explain how children were able to develop and master the complex language system in such a comparatively short time frame. 1. Students must be able to understand what they’re being taught. In some ways, this is common sense; children across all cultures pick up their mother language. Origins of The Nativist Theory. The manner in which a child acquires language is a matter long debated by linguists and child psychologists alike. necessary to gain a full understanding of second language acquisition theory, some key stages, theories and teaching strategies can be quickly understood and applied in the classroom. This is in contrast to the "blank slate" or tabula rasa view, which states that the brain has inborn capabilities for learning from the environment but does not contain content such as innate beliefs. He argued that the long-held learning theory of language development did not adequately explain how children were able to develop and master the complex language system in such a comparatively short time frame. The mechanisms involved in enabling us to interpret phonology, semantics, pragmatics and acquire grammar from speech is still debated in Psychology. Summary There are three theories on how humans acquire language: the Nativist, Learning (Behaviorist), and Interactionist theories.