COMMUNITY LANGUAGE LEARNING METHOD (CLL)
It takes its principles from more general Counseling-
Learning approach developed by Charles A. Curran
Curran believed that a way to deal with the fears of
students is for teachers to become language counselors
By understanding students fears and being sensitive
to them, the teacher can help students overcome their negative feelings and turn them into positive energy to further their learning
PRINCIPLES
Building a relationship with and among students is
very important
Any new learning experience can be threatening.
When students have an idea of what will happen in each activity, they often feel more secure.
PRINCIPLES
Language is for communication.
The superior knowledge and power of the teacher can
be threatening. If the teacher does not remain in the front of the classroom, the threat is reduced and the students learning is facilitated
PRINCIPLES
The teacher should be sensitive to students level of
confidence and give them just what they need to be successful
Students feel more secure when they know the limits
of an activity
Teacher and students are whole persons. Sharing
about their learning experience allows learners to get to know one another and to build community
PRINCIPLES
Guided by the knowledge that each learner is unique,
the teacher creates an accepting atmosphere
Learners feel free to lower their defenses and the
learning experience becomes less threatening
PRINCIPLES
The teacher understands what the students say
The students native language is used to make the
meaning clear and to build a bridge from the known to the unknown. Students feel more secure when they understand everything.
PRINCIPLES
The teacher asks the students to form a semicircle in
front of the blackboard so they can see easily
Learning at the beginning stages is facilitated if
students attend to one task at a time
PRINCIPLES
The teacher encourages student initiative and
independence, but does not let student flounder in uncomfortable silences
Students need quiet reflection time in order to learn
PRINCIPLES
In groups, students can begin to feel a sense of
community and can learn from each other as well as the teacher. Cooperation, not competition, is encouraged
PRINCIPLES
The teacher should work in a non-threatening way
with what the learner has produced
Developing a community among the class members
builds trust and can help to reduce the threat of the new learning situation
PRINCIPLES
Retention will best take place somewhere in between
novelty and familiarity.
WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF TEACHERS WHO USE CLL METHODS?
Teachers who use the Community language Learning
Method want their students to learn how to use the target language communicatively
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER?
The teachers initial role is primarily that of a
counselor
The teacher recognizes how threatening a new
learning situation can be for adult learners
Teacher supports students in their effort to master the
target language
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE STUDENTS?
Initially the learners are very dependent upon the teacher
It is recognized that as the learners continue to study, they become increasingly independent CLL methodologists have identified five stages in this movement from dependency to mutual interdependency with the teacher
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE STUDENTS?
Stages I, II & III It should be noted that accuracy is always a focus even in the first three stages; however, it is subordinated to fluency Teacher focuses not only on language but also is supportive of learners in their learning process Stage IV & V Teacher focuses on accuracy
WHAT ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TEACHING/LEARNING PROCESS?
Students typically have a conversation using their native language at the beginning of the lesson Teacher helps them express what they want to say by giving them the target language translation in
chunks
These chunks are recorded and when they are
replayed, it sounds like a fairly fluid conversation
WHAT ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TEACHING/LEARNING PROCESS?
During the course of the lesson, students are invited to
say how they feel, and in return the teacher understands them
WHAT ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TEACHING/LEARNING PROCESS?
There are six elements necessary for non-defensive
learning (Curran) :
security aggression - students should be given opportunities to
assert themselves, be actively involved and invest themselves in the learning experience
attention students are able to attend to many factors
simultaneously
WHAT ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TEACHING/LEARNING PROCESS?
Reflection students reflect on the language and reflect
on the active experience they are having
retention - integration of the new material that takes
place within the students themselves
Discrimination sorting out the differences among the
target language forms
WHAT IS THE NATURE OF STUDENT-TEACHER INTERACTION?
The Community Language Learning Method is neither
student-centered, nor teacher-centered, but rather teacher-student-centered
Teachers and students are decision-makers in the
class
HOW ARE THE FEELINGS OF THE STUDENTS DEALT WITH?
Responding to the students feelings is considered very
important in Counseling-Learning
One activity is inviting students to comment on how
they feel
The teacher listens and responds to each comment
carefully
While security is a basic element of the learning
process, the way in which it is provided will change depending upon the stage of learner
HOW IS LANGUAGE VIEWED?
Language is for communication
Curran writes that learning is persons, meaning that
both teacher and students work at building trust in one another and the learning process
HOW IS CULTURE VIEWED?
Curran believes in this supportive learning process,
language becomes the means for developing creative and critical thinking
Culture is an integral part of language learning
WHAT AREAS OF LANGUAGE ARE EMPHASIZED?
The most important skills are understanding and
speaking the language at the beginning, with the reinforcement through reading and writing
Certain grammar items, pronunciation patterns and
vocabulary are focused on based on the language the students have generated
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE STUDENTS NATIVE LANGUAGE?
Literal native language equivalents are given to the
target language words where possible
HOW IS EVALUATION ACCOMPLISHED?
Although no particular mode of evaluation is prescribed in the CLL Method, whatever evaluation is conducted should be in keeping with the principles of the method
Teachers would encourage their students to selfevaluateto look at their own learning and to become aware of their own progress
HOW DOES THE TEACHER RESPOND TO STUDENT ERRORS?
Teachers work with what the learner has produced in a
non-threatening way
Teacher repeats correctly what the student has said
incorrectly
TECHNIQUES
Tape recording student Reflective listening
conversation
Transcription
Reflection on experience
Human Computer
Small group tasks
CONCLUSION
The two most basic principles which underlie the kind of learning in the CLL Method:
Learning is persons, which means that
wholeperson learning of another language takes place best in a relationship of trust, support, and cooperation between teacher and students and among students
Learning is dynamic and creative, which means that
learning is a living and developmental process
