Which language acquisition theory posits that children first develop cognitive structures before they can process language?

The cognitive approach to language acquisition emphasizes the idea that cognitive development precedes language development. This theory suggests that children must first construct certain cognitive structures, such as understanding the world around them and the relationships between objects and concepts, before they can effectively learn and use language. According to this perspective, language is a reflection of a child's cognitive capabilities, and as their cognitive skills mature, so does their ability to comprehend and produce language.

This understanding aligns with the views presented by famous theorists like Jean Piaget, who argued that language development is closely linked to the stages of cognitive development. Children acquire language as they interact with their environment and as their mental processes evolve, making this option the most accurate representation of the relationship between cognitive development and language learning. Other approaches like behavioral, sociocognitive, and linguistic differ in their assumptions about the role of cognition in language acquisition, focusing more on external stimuli, social interaction, or innate grammatical structures, respectively.