The theory of maturation is based on Lennebergs view which explains the language learning process from a different perspective. It is a rationalist theory.
According to this theory, children's development of speech is correlated with age and has a biological and neurological basis. That is without motor development one cannot achieve the ability to speak. So language development is dependent upon new muscular maturity. This theory views as a crucial factor and it is on lateralization of a human brain.
Maturation theory is compatible with Chomsky's theory. Like Chomsky, he says that the beginning of language or the onset of language is similar in all culture. They believe that socioeconomic factors affect the acquisition of language though it may have a result of the difference in style. Unlike the Behaviourists, Chomsky and Lennebergs do not believe that practice is important and crucial in language acquisition. Again the Behaviourists believe that language acquisition is possible for the pressure of need. But the maturatiolist believe that language learning is not the result of pressure.
Lennebergs viewpoint on language acquisition seems a sensible one. According to him, language appears to be dependent on a series of maturational states of readiness within the child, with the one proviso that an environment must be presented giving a certain minimum level of stimulation. Lennebergs, however, developed his theory of maturation with two points.
Lenneberg believes that there is a lower limit of two years and an upper limit fourteen years of age in language acquisition. He reports that children born with normal hearing but who deaf before the age of Two can't acquire language whereas those who go deaf after two can acquire language. But the example of Helen Keller who became blind and deaf at the age of One, and mastered the language by the speech. She had heard before her illness shows that the lower is maturation.
Lightbown and Spada say that learning a foreign language is both harder and follows a different learning pattern after puberty than before. Lenneberg observed that the ability to develop normal behaviour and knowledge does not continue indefinitely and that children have never learned language can't return to normal speaking if these deprivation go on for too long. Lenneberg argued that language acquisition Device called LAD.
Also Read: Maturation theory criticism
Critical period hypothesis and lateralization of the Brain
The Critical period is the claim for a biological basis of language acquisition capacity. The period raises from eight months to fourteen years. Within this period language acquisition advances normally but beyond it, language acquisition is different if not impossible.
Lenneberg believes that there is a lower limit of two years and an upper limit fourteen years of age in language acquisition. He reports that children born with normal hearing but who deaf before the age of Two can't acquire language whereas those who go deaf after two can acquire language. But the example of Helen Keller who became blind and deaf at the age of One, and mastered the language by the speech. She had heard before her illness shows that the lower is maturation.
Lightbown and Spada say that learning a foreign language is both harder and follows a different learning pattern after puberty than before. Lenneberg observed that the ability to develop normal behaviour and knowledge does not continue indefinitely and that children have never learned language can't return to normal speaking if these deprivation go on for too long. Lenneberg argued that language acquisition Device called LAD.
Like other biological functions works successfully only when it's stimulated at the right time. A time which is referred to as the critical period. The notion that there is a specific and limited time as a critical period hypothesis.
There are two versions of CPH. The strong version is that children must acquire their first language or by puberty or they will never be able to learn from subsequent exposure. The weak version is that language learning will be more difficult and incomplete after puberty.we may give example in favour of the critical period from the studies of the wolf children A "wolf children" Isabella was discovered at six and a half with no language but was normal by eight and a half. But Genie was discovered at fourteen and thereafter acquired language only very slowly.
There are two versions of CPH. The strong version is that children must acquire their first language or by puberty or they will never be able to learn from subsequent exposure. The weak version is that language learning will be more difficult and incomplete after puberty.we may give example in favour of the critical period from the studies of the wolf children A "wolf children" Isabella was discovered at six and a half with no language but was normal by eight and a half. But Genie was discovered at fourteen and thereafter acquired language only very slowly.
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