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Community Language Learning

Man has been struggling to devise such methods of teaching as would prove very effective in learning process. Teacher of all ages have tried in this field. Every age has its popular methods of teaching. This teaching methodology has been undergoing a sophisticated evolution. In the age of Greek philosophers the lecture method was the ideal one as there were no advance media in that age. In the same way the people of our advance age loves the methods that use multimedia profligately. In the beginning of 17th century council learning was invented .it is much in vogue in the present age but with some different nomenclature surly with some useful amendments.Charles Curran developed that education model and named that too as “Counseling-Learning”. His model proved very effective in learning process. The learners were considered as clients and their needs were fulfilled by counselor, i.e. teacher. The modified form of this method is the community language learning. In this method of teaching language the class is considered a group The basic philosophy behind the process of learning with this method is the interpersonal relationship .The learners and teacher interact in this context and facilitate learning by valuing and prizing each individual. This process decreases the anxiety through the support of interpersonal communication among interactive learners.

Teacher becomes an encouraging element in this process and students take his help as guide not as a master. In Community Language learning process “teachers see their students as “whole” persons, where their feelings, intellect, interpersonal relationships, protective reactions, and desire to learn are addressed and balanced.”

It is a typical method of language learning and in this method Students sit in a circle, with the teacher and use their first language to develop an interpersonal relationship. This relationship increases the students with the others.

Student express himself in native language and teacher translate it back in target language.

The learners attempt to reiterate it in the English used by the teacher. In the same way other students follow the process. This process continues for quite some time until learners are able to apply the words in new language without teacher’s translation.

Goals of community language learning

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This method not only teaches students to use the second language communicatively, but also tries to persuade the students to take the responsibility task for their own learning.

Teacher and student consider each other as a complete whole and mental power and talent are not separated from feelings. An environment of mutual support, trust and understanding between both learner (clients) and the teacher (counselor) is prerequisite of this process.

Characteristics of community language learning method

The method is characterized with the following features:

i) STUDENTS ARE CLIENTS and teachers are councelors

In this method students and teacher is assigned a typical role.  Student is considered as clients and the teacher as a councelors”.

ii) MUTUAL TRUST IS ESSENTIAL

An association of reciprocal trust and support is essential to this learning process.

iii) LEARNING WITH HELP OF NATIVE LANGUAGE

In this process Students are allowed to use their native language, and teacher provides the translation which is practiced afterwards to learn the second language. In this way the clients become used to the new language.

iv) Inductive method for teaching grammar

Community language learning does not permit the direct teaching of grammar, so it is taught inductively.

v) Students oration is recorded

A portion of language spoken by the students are recorded and listened for correction and record. Afterward it becomes text for the learner and makes work easy.

vi) Application of the target language by the learner

The learners apply the target language without help and without translation when they are convinced enough about their skill of second or target language.

vii) Not the language but the process

Learners are egged on to express their feelings about learning process. Such expressions are appreciated and encouraged by the teacher.

viii) Wide variety of learning activities

There is a wide range of activities which is included in this process. These activities might focus on grammar pronunciation, new sentences or recorded portions.

Techniques For community language learning

The linguists have endorsed the following techniques   for this method of learning language.

1) Recorded texts spoken by Students

In this method students are induced to speak about the language and process of learning. Their talk is recorded on tapes or any other media and afterward it is used as a text for listening.

(2)  Dictation

It is the duty of the teacher to transcribe the recorded text with translation in the mother language for using it as activity.

(3)  Deliberation on learning Experience

After very activity teacher pauses his lesson and discuss the experiences of the learners as divulged by them. He encourages them to speak about the learning process.

(4) Repeated listening of the recorded texts

Students listen their recorded texts in their own voices and ponder over them for correction and understanding of the language.

(Students listen to their own voices on the tape in a relaxed and reflective environment)

(5) Self correction

Students are encouraged to correct them selves as far as language is concerned teacher states something in target language and students are made to correct themselves.

(6)   Students are divided in Small Group

Students are divided in groups from 2 to 5 members and they try to create new sentences using the transcript and then share these sentences with the whole class.

Community Language Learning is a ground-breaking approach. It is the only method that really focuses on the feelings of the students and tried to address affective factors in learning. It combines the language learning with the dynamics and principles of counselling. There is one major limitation of this method.  The teacher must be eloquent in both the target language and the students’ mother language. The other weakness of the process is its restriction to small groups.

Inspire of the limitations the method has some specific priorities over other methods which are the tape recording and transcription. This method builds confidence in the learner. He not only learns second language but also increases his understanding of the mother tongue.