Theories Related to Early Childhood Development

This article explores various theories related to early childhood development, including Skinner's Imitation Theory, Piaget's Theory, Bruner's Theory, Vygotsky's Interactionist Theory, Chomsky's Nativist Theory, Lenneberg's Critical Period Theory, Association Theory, and Input Theory. The article also discusses the implications of these theories on the practice of education.

Running head: Diploma in early childhood education and care
Diploma in early childhood education and care
-Theories related to early childhood development
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1Diploma in early childhood education and care
Skinner’s Imitation Theory:
Skinner’s Imitation theory is based on the concept of operant conditioning, and
reinforcement of behaviour. The reinforcement can be either positive or negative. Positive
reinforcement encourages behaviour, while negative reinforcement discourages it. However
negative reinforcement should not be confused with punishment. This theory can also be used
to understand the development of language in children. It proposes that children learn
language by imitating sounds, and repeat they if it is positively reinforced, but will less likely
be to repeat it, if negatively reinforced. Positive reinforcement can be in the form of rewards,
smile, and hug, giving verbal confirmation, giving attention or affection (Kymissis and
Poulson 1990).
Piaget’s Theory:
Piaget’s theory proposes that children learn through interacting with their
environment. This act of exploration and active participation also can lead to the development
of speech and language. When children are trying to speak, read or write, it causes their
active participation, and thus helps the development of language. Ability to understand the
language of others, by listening to them is important for the development of communication.
Moreover, this theory can also be used to explain how children learn from their friends,
through active communication (Piaget 1964; Pritchard 2017).
Bruner’s Theory:
Bruner’s theory proposes that information or knowledge is encoded or stored in our
memory in three modes: enactive (information based on action), Iconic (information based on
images), Symbolic (information based on a code or symbol). This can explain the
development of speech, language and communication based on the ability to comprehend

2Diploma in early childhood education and care
abstract ideas. Also, explains how language can develop when adults are working with
children, providing role model, helping them to understand their environment, teaching them.
Children are able to pick up on the correct use of words in this process (Bruner 2014).
Vygotsky’s Interactionist Theory:
The Social Interactions Theory explains how language is acquired through learning
during social interactions and experiences with an adult who is knowledgeable linguistically.
This theory proposes the concept of Zone of proximal development also called ZPD. ZPD
can be understood as the zone between the current knowledge and the knowledge they need
to acquire next. In the act of scaffolding, an adult, who is more competent, will provide
guidance and support to the child, thereby aiding their learning process. Language, speech
and communication can develop through such pathway (Daniels 2016).
Chomsky’s Nativist Theory:
Chomsky’s Nativist theory suggests that language is an innate ability of humans. This
implies that we are born with the inherent capability to learn language and communicate.
This inherent ability is due to a set of mental rules, which can be referred to as ‘universal
grammar’. Thus children will tend to learn language naturally from their environment.
However, it can be presumed that with support, the acquisition of language and ability to
develop communication skills can be greatly facilitated (Mehrpour and Forutan 2015).
Lenneberg’s Critical Period Theory:
The Critical Period Hypothesis by Linneberg proposes that the developmental period
for language is limited to only in the first few years in the life of an individual, during which
the essential cognitive faculties develop. The theory also adds that if presented with the
correct stimulus during the critical period, language acquisition can occur Learning of

3Diploma in early childhood education and care
language especially grammar is easier during the critical period. However, if the stimulus is
provided after the critical period, acquisition of language might never occur. This highlights
the importance of teaching language at an early age (Birdsong 2014).
Association Theory:
Association theory or associative learning proposes that learning can occur over time
through the development of associations. The associations can develop either through
classical conditioning (where is stimulus is paired or associated with a reward) and operant
conditioning (where association is build by reinforcements, as proposed by Skinner). Over
the years, children are able to develop a list of associations between the world and objects, in
a mental catalogue, which helps in the development of language. Hence, while teaching new
words to children it is helpful to provide a visual stimulus to allow association with the object
(Le Pelley et al. 2016).
Input Theory:
According to the input theory, the early development of the brain and language in
children is greatly influenced by the quantity and quality of the linguistic input given to the
child. Studies have shown that infants respond better to specific tonalities and rate of speech,
called the Child Directed Speech or CDS, also known as ‘motherese’. The theory suggests
that faster development can occur in children who listens a lot of conversations, or are
exposed to environments where frequent conversations occur (Krashen 1989).
Kucjaz’s Combined Perspective Theory:
This theory proposes that language development is affected by three factors: Innate
Organization (which refers to the internal cognitive aspects of the child, and it links to the
critical period and nativist theory); Input (which refers to the quantity and quality of the

4Diploma in early childhood education and care
linguistic input to the child, as explained by input theory); Intake (That refers to the selective
intake of linguistic input by the children, choosing the language the children respond to). The
combined perspective highlights the interplay between child development, innate biology, the
language input and selection.
Implications of these theories on the practice of education:
According to Skinner’s theory, positively reinforcing (through encouragement)
favourable behaviour can promote repetition of that behaviour. Such aspect can be used to
reinforcing learning behaviour that supports furthering of education. Showing affection and
providing confirmation can be effective strategies by teachers educating children. Also, the
availability of an interacting and enriched environment (like toys to aid learning, puzzles,
Lego sets or fun-do) through which children can develop and practice their learning. Such
ideas are supported by Piaget’s learning theory. This also explains how children can learn
through acts of playing with friends, and can also be used to set up play areas for children.
Usage of learning activities, play objects, pictures as well as through classrooms can facilitate
and enhance, learning, through enactive, iconic and symbolic pathways. As Bruner pointed
out that development of abstract learning and comprehension can be developed through
active learning process, and through the involvement of adults acting as role models. It is
important therefore for the active participation of the teachers in the learning environment,
acting as role models for the learning of the students. A teacher should be creative to be able
to use everyday objects to help the learning process and help teaching. Furthermore, learning
activities like quizzes or learning based games can also help the children learn better. The
teachers should also be able to analyse the zone of proximal development for each child, to
understand their current state of knowledge, and the desired outcome, based on which the
learning requirements can be assessed. Such idea is based on Vygotsy’s theory. Moreover, as
per Chomsky’s theory, ability to learn and form language in an inherent human capability.

5Diploma in early childhood education and care
From such a perspective, an educator should be able to aid this natural learning process,
acting as a guide to acquire language more efficiently. However, the teaching should be
focused more during the early childhood, which Lenneberg pointed as the ‘critical period’.
Due to the rapid neuronal development occurring during that time, children are able to learn
things faster at that period.

6Diploma in early childhood education and care
References:
Birdsong, D., 2014. The Critical Period Hypothesis for second language acquisition:
Tailoring the coat of many colors. In Essential topics in applied linguistics and
multilingualism (pp. 43-50). Springer, Cham.
Bruner, J., 2014. How does teaching influence learning. Interview at New York University.
Daniels, H., 2016. Vygotsky and pedagogy. Routledge.
Krashen, S., 1989. We acquire vocabulary and spelling by reading: Additional evidence for
the input hypothesis. The modern language journal, 73(4), pp.440-464.
Kymissis, E. and Poulson, C. 1990. The history of imitation in learning theory: the language
acquisition process. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 54(2), pp.113-127.
Le Pelley, M.E., Mitchell, C.J., Beesley, T., George, D.N. and Wills, A.J., 2016. Attention
and associative learning in humans: An integrative review. Psychological Bulletin, 142(10),
p.1111.
Mehrpour, S. and Forutan, A., 2015. Theories of First Language Acquisition. Journal of
Language, Linguistics and Literature, 1(2), pp.30-40.
Piaget, J., 1964. Part I: Cognitive development in children: Piaget development and
learning. Journal of research in science teaching, 2(3), pp.176-186.
Pritchard, A., 2017. Ways of Learning: Learning Theories for the Classroom. Routledge.