Community Language Learning

Background

CLL was developed by Charles Curran in the 1970s, influenced by Carl Rogers’ humanistic psychology.  Curran was a specialist in counseling and a professor of psychology at Loyola University, Chicago.

This method of looking at the students as "whole person", in other words as a human looking at a holistic (whole), because learning in humans should include cognitive and affective aspects of it. Humans have feelings, intellect, interpersonal relationships, reactions to always have a sense of safety or refuge and a desire to learn are guided and balanced.

Procedures

1.      Reflection

At the beginning of this step, students are totally dependent on the teacher. The students formed a small circle to create an atmosphere of community and teachers standing around them while continuing to ensure for its learners condition.

2.      The recorded conversation 

Learners convey what they want to say by using the source language, the teacher gives the form of a direct translation in the target language.

3.      Discussion

In this step the students will convey an impression or what they feel when speaking in front of the class. Do they feel comfortable speaking in front of a class or do not speak to the class.

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.

•         Language is for communication

•         Teacher and students are whole persons.  Sharing about their learning experience allows learners to get to know one another and to build community.

•         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.

•         The teacher understands what the students say.

Learning Goal

•         Teachers who use the Community language Learning Method want their students to learn how to use the target language communicatively.

•         learning how to learn from one another.

•         Encouraging the students to take more responsibility

Teacher Role

The teacher’s initial role is primarily that of a counselor.  Rather, it means that the teacher recognizes how threatening a new learning situation can be for adult learners.

Student Role

Initially the learners are very dependent upon the teacher.  It is recognized that as the learners continue to study, they become increasingly independent.  CLT methodologists have identified five stages in this movement from dependency to mutual interdependency with the teacher.