TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page - - - - - - - - - - i
Certification - - - - - - - - - ii
Dedication - - - - - - - - - - iii
Acknowledgements - - - - - - - - iv
Table of contents - - - - - - - - -v
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
1.1 Background Statement - - - - - - 1
1.2 The purpose of study - - - - - - - 4
1.3 The objectives of the study - - - - - - 5
1.4 The delimitation/Scope of the study - - - - 5
1.5 Methodology applied - - - - - - - 6
CHAPTER TWO
Literature review
2.1 The theories of language acquisition - - - - 7
2.2 Jean Piaget’s view on language acquisition and cognitive development in children - - - - - - 8
2.3 Social Interactionist theory - - - - - - 10
2.4 Input Hypothesis or Monitor model - - - - 11
2.5 Behaviourism Mentalism - - - - - - 12
2.5.1 Behaviourism - - - - - - - - 12
2.5.2 Mentalism - - - - - - - - - 15
2.6 Hypothesie making Device - - - - - - 17
2.7 Linguistic universals - - - - - - - 17
2.8 Evaluation procedure - - - - - - - 18
CHAPTER THREE
Methodology
3.0 Introduction - - - - - - - - 21
3.1 Study population - - - - - - - 22
3.2 Sample - - - - - - - - - 22
3.3 Sampling technique - - - - - - - 23
3.4 Method of data collection - - - - - - 23
3.5 Method of data analysis - - - - - - 24
3.6 Conclusion - - - - - - - - - 24
CHAPTER FOUR
Presentation and Analysis of Data
4.0 Introduction - - - - - - - - 25
4.1 Observation of utterances of 3½ years old - - - 25
4.2 Observation of utterances of 2½ years old - - - 31
4.3 Morphology level of the child’s language process - - - 33
4.4 Syntax level of the child’s language - - - - 33
4.5 Semantic level of the child’s language - - - - 34
4.6 Phonological level of the child’s language - - - 35
4.7 The difference between the utterance of 3½ - years old and 2½ years old - - - - - - - - 36
4.8 A critical review of the theories of language acquisition - 37
CHAPTER FIVE
Summary of Findings and Conclusion - - - - - 37
Bibliography - - - - - - - - - 40
