Community Language Learning

( CLL )

• 1 – Background

• 2 – Theory of language and learning

• 3 – Design ( Objectives , Syllabus ,Activities , roles of learners andteachers , material )

• 4 – Procedure

A specialist in counseling

and a professor of psychology .

Charles A. Curran

Background

• CLL was developed by Charles A. Curran ,

• His application of psychological counselingtechniques to learning is known as Counseling– Learning .

• The term counseling means one person givingadvice , assistance , and support to anotherwho has a problem .

• CLL redefines the roles of teacher and learner.

• Teacher = Counselor Learner = Client

• CLL is also an example of HumanisticApproach , since it deals with the emotionsand feelings as well as with linguisticknowledge and behavioral skills .

• Humanistic techniques are those that blendwhat the student feels , thinks and knows withwhat he is learning .

• Humanistic techniques engage the WholePerson , including the emotions and feelingsas well as linguistic knowledge and behavioralskill .

• Whole person learning means that teachersconsider not only their students’ intellect , butthey also have some understanding of therelationship among students’ feelings ,physical reactions , and desire to learn .

Theory of language and learning

• Theory of language : Curran himself wrote littleabout his theory of language .

• His student La Forge ( 1983 ) seems to accept thatlanguage theory must start with criteria for soundfeatures , the sentence , and abstract models oflanguage .

• The foreign language learners’ tasks are tounderstand the sound system , derive meaning ,and develop a basic grammar of the l2 .

• La Forge also elaborates on the interactionalview of language underlying CLL .

• Language = people .

• Language = persons in contact .

• Language = persons in response .

• CLL interactions are of two kinds :

• Interactions between learners and

• Interactions between learners and knowers .

• Interactions between learners :

• are unpredictable in content but typically involveexchanges of emotion .

• Learners are intimate as they become acommunity of learners and the desire to be a part ofthis growing intimacy pushes learners to keep pacewith the learning of their peers .

• Interactions between learners and knowers :

• Is initially dependent .

• The learner tells the knower what he or she wishes to say in target language and the knower tells the learner how to say it .

• Theory of learning : Curran’s counselingexperience led him to conclude that thetechniques of counseling could be applied tolearning in general ( Counseling Learning ) ,and to language teaching in particular ( CLL ) .

• The CLL view of learning is a holistic one ,since true human learning is both cognitiveand affective ( This is termed whole-person ).

• Such learning takes place in a communicativesituation where teachers and learners areinvolved in an interaction .

• The process is divided into five stages and compared to the development of a child .

• Five stages are both psychological and linguistic .

• The first three are entry stages and the last two are of increasing maturity .

• In the first , birth stage , feeling of securityand belonging are established .

• In the second , the learner begins to achieve asense of independence from the teacher .

• By the third ,the learner speaks independently

• The fourth stage sees the learner as secureenough to take criticism .

• By the last the learner merely works uponimproving style and knowledge of linguisticappropriateness .

• According to Curran there are six factors whichare essential to non-defensive whole personlearning process .

• 1- A sense of security .

• 2- Paying attention to language in all its forms.

• 3- Experience a feeling of self-assertion andaggression when ready .

• 4- Reflection and participation in class activities .

• 5- Internalization by retention at a deep level .

• 6- Discrimination among the various elements oflanguage and their functions .

Design

• Objectives : The goal of this method isattaining near-native mastery of the targetlanguage . Specific goals include developing awhole person learning process and a trustingrelationship among the members of the class .

• The syllabus : CLL does not use a conventionallanguage syllabus , which determines inadvance the grammar , vocabulary , and otheritems to be taught in specific orders .

• The course progression is topic based withlearners choosing the message they wish tocommunicate to other learners in the class .

• It evolves its own syllabus .

• Type of learning and teaching activities :

• CLL combines innovative learning tasks and activities with more traditional ones .

• They include :

• 1- Translation 2- Group work

• 3- Recording 4- Transcription

• 5- Analysis 6- Reflection and Observation

• 7- Listening 8- Free conversation

• Learner roles :

• Learning is not viewed as an individualaccomplishment but as something that isachieved collaboratively .

• Learners become members of a community .

• Learner = Client

• Learn through counseling with their teacher andclassmates .

• They listen carefully to the knower , repeat thetarget utterances , support fellow members ofthe community , report deep inner feelings , andact as counselors to other learners .

• CLL compares language learning to stages ofhuman growth . Therefore , the learner playsmany different roles in the process ofmaturation .

• Stage 1 , like an infant , completely dependent, repeats utterances , overhear otherinteractions .

• Stage 2 , a measure of independence ,produce simple expressions .

• Stage 3 , the separate-existence stage , beginto understand directly in the target language .

• Stage 4 , a kind of adolescence , functionsindependently , ask for correction .

• Stage 5 , independent stage , improve theirunderstanding of register as well as grammar ,add native like constructions to theirlanguage.

• Teacher roles :

• Plays the role of counselor .

• Respond calmly and nonjudgmentally .

• Having a supportive manner .

• Help the client to understand the problems better .

• Provide a safe environment .

• More specific teacher roles are :

• Provide target language translations .

• Monitoring learner utterances .

• Providing assistance when requested .

• May intervene directly to correct the problem.

• Advise on usage of grammar .

• The role of instructional materials :

• Since a CLL course develops out of theinteractions among the members of thecommunity , a textbook is not considered anecessary component .

• Material may be developed by the teacher asthe course develops .

• Conversation may also be transcribed anddistributed for study and analysis .

• Learners may work in groups to produce theirown materials .

• Procedure :

• Consists of six to twelve students sitting in a circle .

• Students have visual contact with each other .

• Teacher is out of the circle .

• Teacher walks behind the students to provide assistance .

• Activities of the class :

• 1- The students introduce themselves to eachother in L1 .

• 2- The teacher explains the goals and activitiesof the course .

• 3- A conversation in L2 takes place :

• 4- Students think about the process and theyare asked to express their feelings about theexperience .

• 5- The instructor chooses some sentencesfrom the recorded material and writes themon the board to discuss the elements ofgrammar , spelling , and capitalization .

• 6- Students are encouraged to ask questions .

• 7- Students are encouraged to copy sentencesfrom the board with notes on meaning andusage .

• By Ehsan Zolfaghari

• Zolfaghari34@gmail.com