DISCUSSION: Language: A Theoretical Approach

A co-worker consults with you about a problem that one of her client's children is having in school. She explains that Katy, who is 22-months-old, is not learning language as quickly as her parents think she should. Your co-worker then explains that each night Katy and her mother sit in bed and read a book together.

Katy can say the name of different items in the pictures, but seems to forget their names quickly. It seems that she is easily distracted. Katy's mother wants to understand better why Katy is not remembering all of the words but your co-worker does not know. She has called you for an explanation.

1. Using the cognitive development model of your choice (Piaget, Vygotsky, or Information Processing), explain how children learn new information like the items in the stories that Katy and her mother read nightly.

2. What are some strategies that Katy's mother can use to help Katy remember more words from the stories?