INTERACTION

• Children formed concepts before acquiring words
• Children’s first words are most likely to be those that express these early concepts because children search for ways to communicate what they know
• Hearing new words


  Causes children to look for their meanings resulting in new concepts being learned
• Two strategies children use when faced with gaps in their semantic and/or conceptual system

  • Acquiring a new word
  • Acquiring a new concept
• Acquiring a new word

  1. Search known concepts

  2. If no existing concept seems appropriate, attempt to construct a new one
• Acquiring a new concept


  1. Attempt to attach a known word to it

  2. If no word seems appropriate, look for one
• • Acquiring a new word - When acquiring a new word, search known concepts in case the word denotes a previously acquired concept. If no existing concept seems appropriate, attempt to construct a new one.
• • Acquiring a new concept - When acquiring a new concept, attempt to attach a known word to it. If no word seems appropriate, look for one