Sixth Week: 
    Dr. Muna Alkhateeb                                   
     
                 Community language learning 
    Community Language Learning (CLL) is one of the ‘designer’ methods of language acquisition that arose in 
    the  1970’s  (along  with The  Silent  Way, Suggestopoedia and TPR)  and  forms  part  of  the  Humanistic 
    Approach to language learning. The key features of these methodologies is that they flout orthodox language 
    teaching, they have a guru (regarded by devotees of the method with something approaching religious awe), 
    and they all developed from outside language teaching. Additionally they are all rigidly-prescriptive and 
    emphasise the learners’ responsibility for their own learning. 
    The founder figure of CLL was Charles Curran, an American Jesuit priest, whose work in Counselling 
    Learning (a general learning approach based on Rogerian counselling ideas and practices) was applied to 
    language learning. 
    The key idea is that the students determine what is to be learned, so the teacher is a facilitator and provides 
    support. In the basic form of CLL, a maximum of 12 students sit in a circle. There is a small portable tape 
    recorder inside the circle. The teacher (who is termed the ‘Knower’ ) stands outside the circle. When a 
    student has decided they want to say something in the foreign language, they call the Knower over and 
    whisper what they want to say, in their mother tongue. The teacher, also in a whisper, then offers the 
    equivalent utterance in English (or the target language). The student attempts to repeat the utterance, with 
    encouragement from the Knower, with the rest of the group eavesdropping. When the Knower is satisfied, 
    the utterance is recorded by the student. Another student then repeats the process until there is a kind of 
    dialogue recorded. The Knower then replays the recording, and transcribes it on the board. This is followed 
    by  analysis,  and  questions  from  students.  In  a  subsequent  session,  the  Knower  may  suggest  activities 
    springing from the dialogue. Gradually, the students spin a web of language. 
    Space does not permit  me to  describe  in  detail  the  psychological  system  on  which  CLL  is  based,  but 
    essentially, the learner is supposed to move from a stage of total dependence on the Knower at the beginning 
    to a stage of independent autonomy at the end, passing through 5 developmental stages along the way. It is 
    the Knower’s job to provide the supportive and secure environment for learners, and to encourage a whole-
    person approach to the learning. 
    There are clearly some major problems with CLL. It can only be done with small numbers of students. The 
    students have to share a single mother tongue. The teacher (Knower) has to be highly proficient in the target 
    language and in the language of the students. The teacher also has to have enormous reserves of energy – 
          both physical and psychic. (I have used CLL to teach French and Italian in the beginner stages, and I can 
          assure you I was exhausted after each session!). Arguably, too, it is unwise to undertake CLL as a teacher 
          without some counselling training. 
          It  has  also  been  pointed  out  that  this  is  a  methodology  exclusively  suitable  for  adult  learners,  not  for 
          children. Also, most descriptions of it in action focus on the early stages of learning the new language. What 
          do teachers do after that? As for many methods, it gets more difficult to distinguish between one method and 
          another the more advanced the learner becomes. 
          Perhaps the enduring value of CLL has been its emphasis on whole-person learning; the role of a supportive, 
          non-judgmental teacher; the passing of responsibility for learning to the learners (where it belongs); and the 
          abolition of a pre-planned syllabus. 
          Advantages of CLL 
                CLL is an attempt to overcome the threatening affective factors in EFL and ESL. 
                The  councelor  allow  the  learners  to  determine  type  of  coversation  and  to  analyze  the  language 
                 inductively 
                The student centered nature of the method can provide extrincic motivation and capitalize on intinsic 
                 motivation. 
          Disadvantages 
                The counselor/teacher can become too non directive. Students often need directions . 
                The method relies completely on inductive learning. It is worthwhile  noting that deductive learning is 
                 also a viable strategy of learning. 
                Translation is an intricate  and difficult task. The success of the method relies largely on the translation 
                 expertise of the counselor. 
          References  
          If you want to read more about CLL, the most easily-accessible reference is: 
         Jack C.Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers. ( 2001), Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. (2nd 
          edition)                    Cambridge                      University                     Press.                   pp                  90-99. 
          (This book has an excellent bibliography should you wish to read further.) 
         Earl  W.  Stevick  (1976) Memory,  Meaning  and  Method:  some  psychological  perspectives  on  Language 
          Learning. Newbury House. 
         Earl W. Stevick (1980) Teaching Languages: a Way and Ways. Newbury House