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 .

Total Physical

Response

(TPR)

"Babies don't learn by memorizing lists;

why should children or adults?"

James J. Asher

TPR is…

a language teaching method built

around the coordination of speech

and action

a method of teaching a language

using physical movement to react

to verbal input

The Origins

Originated in late 1960s, became popular

in 1970s-80s.

Why?

High dropout rates in second language

classes.

… but almost no problems learning the first

language.

Learning fundamentals

Bio-program

Children understand complex utterances they cannot spontaneously produce

Brain lateralization

Directed to right brain hemisphere

Reduction of stress

The lower the stress, the better the learning

Principles

Understanding of TL before ability to speak

Meaning of TL words conveyed through actions

Spoken language preferred over written language

Understanding should evolve through the

movement of the student’s body

No forcing to speak

Objectives

To teach oral proficiency (at a beginning level), and the ultimate aim is to teach basic speaking skills

To produce learners who are capable of free communication, which is understandable to a native speaker

all goals are attainable through the use of action-based drills in the imperative form

Syllabus

Sentence-based

Lexical criterion is primary

Initial attention to meaning rather than

to the form

Learning activities

Fixed number of items (usually no

more than 30)

Predominantly imperative drills

Role playing can also be used

Conversational dialogues begin after

at least 100 hours of instruction.

Roles of Learners

Listener & performer

Recognize and respond to novel

combinations of previously taught

items

Produce novel combinations

Encouraged to speak not until they

feel ready

Roles of a Teacher

Active and direct role

Select supporting materials, and

model the lesson

Allow speaking abilities to develop in

natural pace

Parent-like feedback

Materials

Generally no basic text

Initially: teacher’s voice, actions and

gestures, later – classroom objects and/or

supporting materials

TPR student kits (focus on specific

situation)

TPR student kit

Put the table in front of the sink.

Put the bread on the table.

Learning process

Review Teacher repeats items from previous time

New commands Teacher gives new commands, repeat and

vary them

Role reversal Students command their teacher and

classmates

Reading and writing Teacher writes new items on the blackboard

Advantages

TPR is fun and easy.

TPR is inclusive.

Good tool for building vocabulary for

long-term retention.

Does not require long preparations.

Effective for both adult and young

learners.

Disadvantages

Challenge for shy students.

No opportunity to talk in a creative manner.

Can become too repetitive and boring.

Preparation becomes an issue at higher levels.

Conclusions

TPR is a language teaching method built

around the coordination of speech and

action

TPR proved to be useful in second

language acquisition

BUT! In order to be successful TPR should

be used in association with other methods

and techniques.