Question

In which of the following areas do deaf children tend to show relative inferiority to normal children?

• A. Intellectual development
• B. Language development
• C. Acquisition of knowledge
• D. Emotional development

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Language development

In psychology, language development is the process by which children learn to communicate and process speech. It involves a child's ability to: Name objects, Understand spoken language, Express their thoughts and feelings, and Speak their native language fluently. 

The first three years of a child's life are the most important for language development. During this time, the brain is maturing and developing, and children are most able to absorb language. 

Here are some theories about language development: 

• Nativist theory

  Proposed by Noam Chomsky, this theory suggests that children have an innate language acquisition device (LAD). Chomsky believes that language is a unique human accomplishment that can be attributed to evolution or neural organization. 

• Behaviorist theory

  Proposed by B. F. Skinner, this theory suggests that language is learned through imitation and reinforcement. Skinner believed that infants need to be taught language through the use of reinforcement. 

• Piaget's theory of cognitive development

  This theory suggests that language development is a continuation of general cognitive development. 

• Vygotsky's social theories

  This theory suggests that language development is attributed to an individual's social interactions and growth. 

Factors that can influence a child's language learning capabilities include: motivation, environment, gender, and physical development.