posted 2/21/06
Reading Assignment:  Chapter 9

At the beginning of class we will spend 10 minutes on an optional questionnaire study on judgment.  Later in the semester we'll discuss the study.

This class will be a "independent study" activity.  The class period will be devoted to watching this film:

Video 2402 (available from Media Services ) "Acquiring Human Language" (60 min)

While you are watching the film, find the answers to the following questions:

1. How do children learn language?
• How do we know they don't learn it from imitating their parents?
• How do we know they don't learn it by analogy?
2. What is Universal Grammar?
3. What do young children know about grammar?
• What did the Katherine Hirsch-Pasek & Roberta Golinkoff "Cookie Monster is washing Big Bird" study show?
• What did Jill DeVilliers study about "When did the boy say he hurt himself?" show?
4. What language mistakes do children make?  What do these errors tell us about language acquisition?
5. What is the Gavagai problem?
6. What assumptions do kids use when learning new words?