Critical Period in Learning a First Language

The critical period for individuals to learn a new language is the first 12 years of life (Chance,2014). Learning a new language is part of our development, and it's how we communicate with each other. If we are isolated without human contact, our language development will be diminished, as we read in the case of Genie the feral child. Even though Genie could produce words, she could not put them together meaningfully (Cherry, 2022). Genie was given an assessment where she scored similarly to the age of a 1-year-old. This was because she was isolated and tied up, locked away for an unknown period of time.

There is a link between nature and nurture when it comes to learning. Even before we are born, we run the risk of damaging our learning abilities. In Nature, as mentioned by Chance, 2014 "Prenatal exposure to alcohol and other drugs can interfere with neurological development, resulting in limited learning ability." (p382). Drugs or exposure to alcohol can cause the child to be born with genetic defects and brain injuries that can turn into a learning disability. On the other hand, nurture can help a child learn through exposure to books and reading from birth, along with human exposure.

Reference

Kendra Cherry (2022) The Story of Genie Wiley The Story of Genie Wiley, an Abused, Feral Child (verywellmind.com)Links to an external site.

Chance, P. (2014). Learning and behavior (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

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