Children’s Acquisition of Syntactic Knowledge
Language scholars agree that knowledge of the language syntax is crucial in children to help them to relate sounds and comprehend some indefinite ideas as expressed in different sentences. This study seeks to explore the process of language acquisition among children while paying attention to some of the challenges they face and the way they respond to such challenges.
It explores the different levels of steps that children undergo to master the language use, which is important to understand how that is important to understand the challenges that they go through when learning a secondary language. For instance, they are required to link distinct levels of symbols and demonstration in natural language, which can really be a daunting task for them. Therefore, this study is significant to enlighten the audience, more so teachers of language about these challenges so that they can support their learners to cope.
It is important to note that there are specific things that children must comprehend include the syntactic units, which must be connected to make meaningful sentences. Another thing that they must know is the hidden skeleton where all the sentence constituents are arranged in a hierarchical order. It is imperative that children figure out the proper arrangement of the skeletons to make sensible meaning. Another thing to do is to categorize the units by making the basic difference between content categories and functional components that must be related to each sentence skeleton.
The next thing to do is order where they are required to identify the major consequent order and relate the language with the sentence skeleton. In other words, language acquisition is a rigorous process that involves a series of engagement from the learners, which require sufficient commitment from them and their coach. Hence, the experts in this area should understand that it is a rigorous process that needs some support from adults.
From this study, it is imperative to note that the acquisition of language among the infants involves the discovery of different units so that they map the words into objects as they endeavor to determine the various sound sequences that make sense. While in that pursuit, they must be able to locate those that belong to their native language since such sequences must be identified from a principally incessant stream of words. However, despite these ranges of challenges, learners sail through and master the use of language appropriately.
In order to face these challenges to master the language, children engage in various practices that help them to cope. For instance, the first thing they do is perception, which begins immediately at birth. They become sensitive to larger units of language, which include order and constituent structure before they begin to use words. They then develop a linear order as they connect the new techniques with what they already know.
At this point, they are able to organize words in a perfect order to make sense of them. After establishing the word orders, they begin the act of mapping the speech stream. Studies by experts like Hirsh-Pasek confirm this fact and state that they have the capacity to recognize well-organized constituents of language, which is an indication that they use super-segmental information. Therefore, in spite of the challenges they face, with sufficient support, they are able to withstand them and acquire language in a quicker and easier way.
It is important to note from this study that acquisition of language in children is only evident when they can say what they mean and mean what they say. They combine their ability to master syntax and phonology to express and comprehend an infinite set of judgments, hopes, beliefs, and needs. It is also important to note that children learn and master the language through good interaction with others.
On the other hand, it is also necessary to mention that parents and the caregivers are not directly linked with the language acquisition among their children, but they can play an important role. Even though they do not help them how to speak, they are essential in the process by speaking to their children, which gives them an opportunity to learn new lexical ideas that support them in language acquisition. Therefore, this study is significant in exploring various ideas that the audience of this study should know in regards to the steps children go through to acquire a new language.
On the same plinth, the way adults speak to their children is very important. Children do not learn in an abstract form, but they rely greatly on the people that talk near them. The moment a child utters the first word, it is a show that they have started the process of language acquisition. They start to connect intonation and complex sound combination in order to make meaning from the sounds they make. It depends greatly on what they hear from others, and go ahead to practice and make sense out of it.
Though, it becomes more challenging when a child wants to acquire a different language from his or her original language. Making sense of something new must be connected with what is already known, which becomes a greater problem to deal with ultimately. As experts point out, learning starts from the known to the unknown and from the simple ideas to complex ones. This means that it takes greater efforts in children to learn a new language that is not theirs.
In conclusion, language acquisition among the children comes with lots of challenges, but the good news is that they are able to overcome them and master the use of language. As pointed out herein, they are required to tie the distinct levels of symbols and phrases in natural language to make sense of language. Doing so can be challenging really be a daunting task for them. The first thing they do is perception, which begins immediately at birth.
They must categorize the different units of language by making the basic difference between content categories and functional components that must be related to each sentence skeleton. Even though parents and caregivers are not directly involved in their children’s language acquisition, they play a major role in helping develop their language. The way they talk to them is important since it gives them the opportunity to learn new ideas concerning the usage of language.
This study is important and significant to inform the audience, more so experts of language about these challenges so that they can support their learners to cope. With sufficient support, children develop the standard ability to master the skills and use language effectively and sensitively.
