Community Language Learning (CLL)

Summary

In a Community Language Learning (CLL) demonstration, students engage in a holistic approach to language acquisition by visualizing and describing their homes. They list, discuss, and practice pronunciation of relevant vocabulary, create sentences using these words, and receive feedback in a supportive environment, emphasizing the importance of feeling secure and comfortable in the learning process.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The method demonstrated is Community Language Learning (CLL), which is based on a counseling learning approach to adult education developed by Charles Curran.
• 🏡 The lesson focuses on describing students' homes, encouraging them to think about their houses or apartments in their home country or their current residence.
• 👀 Students are asked to visualize their homes in detail, using their mind's eye to recall the surroundings, rooms, objects, and emotions associated with their living spaces.
• 🗣️ The teacher emphasizes the importance of students becoming 'skillful understanders' by recognizing and accepting the struggle they face in learning a new language.
• 📝 Students are encouraged to list words they need to describe their homes, focusing on special words that convey feelings, thoughts, or specific details about their living spaces.
• 🔍 The teacher facilitates a group activity where students contribute words to a collective list, aiming to work on pronunciation and sentence construction using these words.
• 📚 The teacher uses a 'human computer' approach, repeating words and sentences after students to help them practice pronunciation and discern any differences in their own speech.
• 🤔 Students are given the opportunity to inquire about the meaning of words and clarify any uncertainties, fostering an environment of active learning and involvement.
• 📈 The lesson includes a feedback session where students reflect on their experiences and feelings during the class, allowing them to feel accepted and understood as whole persons.
• 🔄 The teacher's approach aims to reduce the threat of superior knowledge and power by standing behind students while they practice, ensuring that students feel secure and can focus on the learning material.

Q & A

What is the method demonstrated in the script called?

The method demonstrated in the script is called Community Language Learning (CLL).

Who developed the Community Language Learning approach mentioned in the script?

Charles Curran developed the Community Language Learning approach.

What does CLL require teachers to become?

CLL requires teachers to become skillful understanders of their learners as whole persons.

What is the main focus of the CLL demonstration lesson in the script?

The main focus of the CLL demonstration lesson is on describing students' homes using vocabulary, pronunciation, and intonation.

How does the teacher in the script encourage students to visualize their homes?

The teacher encourages students to visualize their homes by using their mind's eye, possibly closing their eyes, and mentally walking through their house and surroundings.

What activity does the teacher ask students to do after visualizing their homes?

After visualizing their homes, the teacher asks students to turn to the person next to them and describe their home to create a similar picture in their partner's mind.

What is the purpose of listing words on the board in the script?

The purpose of listing words on the board is to collect vocabulary that students need for describing their homes, focusing on pronunciation and the use of these words in sentences.

How does the teacher handle the pronunciation practice in the script?

The teacher handles pronunciation practice by having students say the words chorally as a group, and then individually, with the teacher repeating after them to provide a model.

What is the 'human computer' exercise mentioned in the script?

The 'human computer' exercise is where the teacher repeats students' words or sentences back to them, allowing students to control the repetition and practice pronunciation.

How does the teacher correct students' sentences in the script?

The teacher corrects students' sentences by repeating them correctly, in a non-threatening manner, allowing students to notice the differences and adjust their own pronunciation or sentence structure.

What is the purpose of the feedback session at the end of the lesson in the script?

The purpose of the feedback session is for students to reflect on their experience and feelings during the lesson, allowing the teacher to understand and validate their perspectives on the learning process.