Which of the following approaches emphasizes the role of social interaction in language development?

The sociocognitive approach emphasizes the critical role of social interaction in language development. This perspective combines insights from both cognitive and social development, suggesting that language acquisition is significantly influenced by the social context in which an individual is immersed. It posits that interactions with more knowledgeable others, such as parents, peers, and educators, facilitate language learning by providing opportunities for meaningful communication and dialogue.

This approach also recognizes the importance of cultural and social contexts in shaping language use and understanding. For instance, it accounts for how children learn language through collaborative dialogue, scaffolding, and participating in culturally relevant communication practices. By engaging in these social interactions, learners not only acquire vocabulary and grammar but also learn how language functions in various social situations.

In contrast, the cognitive approach largely focuses on internal mental processes and structures, the linguistic approach centers on the innate aspects of language capability, and the behaviorist approach emphasizes reinforcement and punishment in learning, which do not primarily address the role of social interaction in the same way the sociocognitive approach does.