Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to continually adapt and develop cognitive abilities including language development. The human brain is malleable and capable of modifying structures and neural mechanisms, including those associated with language development, according to "BrainWorld" magazine. The brain uses neurons to relay messages from the brain stem, cerebellum and subcortical structures to specific areas of the cortex. This interaction creates experiences, which helps the brain modify itself in order to learn practical skills and competencies, such as learning a new language. Usually brain plasticity decreases with age, thereby making it more difficult to learn a new language as a person gets older.
The theory of nativism proposes that language development is not entirely dependent upon conditioning and education after birth. This theory focuses on hereditary factors in language development, according to Matsuishi Laboratories. Noam Chomsky, a well-known linguistics scholar, theorizes that universal principles of grammar are innate in human beings. Most nativists point to the fact that advanced forms of language are only present in human beings and no other animals.
Behavioralism is a school of thought that directly challenges nativism and focuses on conditioning and environment as major influences on language learning. Behavioralists theorize that language development is a function of operant conditioning. This means language development can be learned through repetition and positive reinforcement.
There are various strategies available to help stimulate early language development in children. These include language activities parents can practice with their children to help them develop language earlier, according to Education.com. Two of these strategies are known as self-talk and parallel talk. These strategies help put words to action by describing. The self-talk strategy involves a parent describing verbally what the parent while performing an action. Parallel talk involves verbally describing what the child is doing. Additionally, using simple and clear language when speaking to children also stimulates early language development.