Language Systems

Phonological System

Phonology -- the study of speech sounds

Phonemes -- the 46 individual speech sounds

Graphemes -- the printed letter and letter combinations

Alphabetics -- the 26 letters that make the sounds

Phonetic awareness -- discerning the phonetic differerences between the sounds

Phonics -- the study of the rules that govern how spoken sounds are written

Semantic or Morphological System

Morphology -- the study of how words and word parts (prefixes, root or base words, suffixes) convey meaning

Morpheme -- the smallest string of sound that give meaning to what students hear, read, think, and write

Free morpheme -- having meaning in itself  (teach)

Bound morpheme -- having meaning only if attached to a free morpheme (er in teacher)

Grammar -- the principles that establish the structure of morphemes within words and the arrangement of these words within phrases, sentences, and paragraphs

Semantics -- a branch of grammar related to how meaning is conveyed through spoken and written language

Syntactical System

Syntax -- how words are ordered and combined to form sentences

Pragmatic System

Dialects -- the ways in which language is modified among social classes, cultural groups, geogrpahic regions, and ethnic traditions

3 Language Acquisition Theories

Constructivist Theory -- meaning is constructed from the unique interaction of print and speech experiences from the environment that filter into an individual's mind. This information then seeks to bond with prior cognitive categories (files) of stored information (schema)

Learning occurs when the individual has to expand the collection of stored information and create larger or new categories (files).  Leaning occurs more rapidly when disequilibrium occurs.  This new information needs new schema to be created or the existing schema to be expanded or modified.  Equilibrium is once again reached when a sense of mastery is restored because the new information becomes existing schema.

Top Researchers:  Bruner, Kozulin, & Vygotsky

Psycholinguistic Theory -- individuals interact with language to select and create meaning by combining different information sources such as phonics and syntax

Learning occurs when individuals have opportunities to work with text and make meaning. Direct instruction that facilitates making meaning using whole literature while avoiding drills and isolated skill instruction result in more effective learning.

Top Researchers: Smith, Goodman, Haste

Sociolinguistic Theory -- language development is influenced by social activity, culture, and community

Learning occurs by socialization that organizes throught and refines meaning through language sharing with others.

Top Researchers: Labov & Dewey

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