Community Based Language Learning Explained

When it comes to language learning, most would agree that an interactive, collaborative environment can be highly effective.

The community based language learning approach offers precisely that - a method centered around learner empowerment within a supportive community.

In this post, we'll explore the origins of this approach, its core principles, and how it leverages group collaboration to facilitate organic language acquisition.

Introduction to Community Based Language Learning

Community based language learning is a language-teaching approach developed by Charles Arthur Curran that emphasizes supporting students through a collaborative learning environment. It has its roots in Curran's counseling-learning theory and applies principles of counseling and psychology to foster positive relationships and lower the affective filter of language learners.

Origins and Evolution of the Language-Teaching Approach

The approach was first outlined by Curran in 1972 in his book "Counseling-Learning: A Whole Person Model for Education". He drew on his background in counseling and psychology to shape a learning environment built on care, trust and understanding between teacher and students. This evolved from his observations that traditional teaching methods did not account for the emotional needs of students.

Over time, community based language learning has been adapted by language educators to facilitate second language acquisition, especially in ESL teaching. While not as widespread as communicative language teaching, it continues to offer a unique learner-centered perspective for language education.

Defining Community Based Language Learning

At its core, this approach emphas ins nurturing the whole person during the learning process, not just transmitting knowledge and skills. The teacher acts as a counselor, helping students overcome anxiety and other emotional barriers related to language learning. Learners are encouraged to express themselves without concern for formal accuracy, while the teacher supports by translating or rephrasing statements.

This dynamic of teacher scaffolding and peer collaboration aims to build students' self-confidence and lower the affective filter that can inhibit language acquisition. The goal is creating a positive community that allows students to take risks and motivates them to progress.

Comparison with Other Language Education Methods

Unlike the direct instruction style of grammar translation or audio-lingual methods, community based language learning is driven by learner expression and control over content. While related to communicative language teaching's goal of real-world communication, it emphasizes psychological support and counselor-client dynamics.

It shares similarities with language immersion in terms of target language use. However, where immersion often demands quick acclimatization, this approach eases students into production through teacher mediation and peer support. Content and tasks take a secondary role to fostering positive relationships.

Principles and Goals of Community Based Language Learning

Fundamental principles of this approach include:

Teacher as counselor and paraphraser
Focus on addressing the emotional needs of learners
Target language use from early stages
Student expression as core learning activity
Peer support and collaboration
Lowering the affective filter to reduce language anxiety

The primary goals are to:

Create a safe, supportive community
Build learner confidence and motivation
Teach language communicatively through real-world situations
Prioritize positive teacher-student relationships
Promote student autonomy and responsibility for learning

With its counseling foundation and emphasis on the psychology of learning, community based language learning offers a unique perspective for facilitating second language acquisition through collaborative interaction.

What is community-based Language Learning?

Community-based language learning (CBLL) is a language teaching approach pioneered by Dr. Charles A. Curran in the 1970s. It emphasizes language acquisition through social interaction in a collaborative learning community.

CBLL is based on the idea that learning a language should occur in a supportive community rather than a traditional student-teacher relationship. Learners work together to develop language skills by communicating about topics that interest them. The teacher acts as a counselor, helping students express themselves and moving the discussion forward.

Some key principles of CBLL include:

Learner-centered: Students choose topics to discuss that are relevant to their lives and interests. This intrinsic motivation helps them actively participate and lowers anxiety.
Supportive environment: Mistakes are seen as a natural part of the learning process. The community provides encouragement to build confidence.
Meaningful interaction: Discussing real-life situations helps cement language learning through context and usage.
Collaboration: Students learn from each other's experiences and build on each other's language abilities in a mutually beneficial way.

CBLL fosters a holistic environment that develops linguistic, communicative, and social skills simultaneously. Research shows this sense of community and belonging aids language acquisition and retention. CBLL techniques are often incorporated into wider communicative language teaching approaches today.

What is community language learning method?

Community Language Learning (CLL) is a language teaching approach developed by Charles A. Curran and his associates in the 1970s. It is based on Curran's Counseling-Learning theory and emphasizes the collaborative and supportive environment needed for effective language acquisition.

Some key principles of CLL include:

Learner-centered: Students determine what language skills they want to focus on, with guidance from the teacher who acts as a "counselor".
Supportive community: Students work together in small groups, supporting each other in using the new language without fear of embarrassment.
Meaningful communication: Language is acquired communicatively through real conversations focused on expressing meaning, rather than memorizing grammar rules.
Low anxiety: The teacher provides a warm, understanding presence to lower students' anxiety and build confidence. Activities proceed at the students' pace.
Translation allowed: Students can use their native language at first if needed to express meaning or ask for help. The goal is communication.
Experiential learning: Language is acquired through real interpersonal exchanges, as students learn by doing. Activities involve sharing experiences, thoughts, ideas, feelings.

In a CLL class, the teacher acts as a counselor or facilitator, while small groups of students support each other in acquiring communicative skills. This collaborative method aims to mirror real language use in a low-stress community environment.

What is the main idea of community language learning?

The main idea behind community language learning is that language acquisition is most effective when learned collaboratively in a supportive community environment. This approach, originally developed in the 1960s by Charles A. Curran, emphasizes the sense of community within the learning group and encourages warm, open interaction between learners and teachers as the primary vehicle for learning.

At its core, community language learning recognizes that the process of acquiring a new language can be emotionally challenging and stressful. Students may feel insecure, frustrated, or embarrassed as they struggle with new concepts and attempt to communicate. Curran argued that the counselor-client relationship utilized in psychology could serve as an ideal model for the teacher-student relationship in language education. Teachers should demonstrate empathy, establish an atmosphere of trust and support, and prioritize nurturing students' confidence and willingness to take risks.

In the collaborative CLL environment, students work together to develop the target language, contributing ideas and learning from each other under the teacher's subtle guidance. The teacher acts as a "counselor" rather than an authoritative instructor. This dynamic fosters cooperation, creative thinking, and a greater sense of investment in the learning process. Students feel comfortable making mistakes around others undergoing the same struggles. The communal bonds and lowered affective filter facilitate authentic linguistic exchanges.

In practice, CLL utilizes small groups, language games, open discussion, student-generated content, and activities that encourage risk-taking. The teacher may transcribe student speech, allowing them to observe their own output. By focusing on community support rather than formal instruction, CLL aims to make language acquisition a more humanistic, interactive endeavor centered around communication.

What is an example of community-based learning?

Community-based learning refers to educational programs that actively engage students in service activities within their local communities. Some examples include:

Service-Learning

Students participate in community service projects that satisfy real needs in the community while also applying concepts, content, and skills from academic courses. For example, a Spanish class partners with a local nonprofit organization serving Spanish-speaking immigrants to practice language skills.

Experience-Based Career Education (EBCE)

Programs allow students to explore career options by observing and participating in workplace activities. For instance, a student interested in healthcare careers could shadow medical professionals at a local clinic.

Cooperative Education

Students alternate between periods of academic study and periods of related paid employment in a coordinated work-study program. This allows them to apply classroom learning in practical work settings.

Tech Prep

A program combining academic and occupational preparation, tech prep integrates the last two years of high school with a two-year postsecondary certificate or associate degree program. For example, a student could take technology and engineering courses in high school, then continue in a related field at a community or technical college.

School-to-Work

Initiatives connect students to work-based learning opportunities like job shadowing, internships, and apprenticeships. These experiences help students explore careers and develop employability skills.

Youth Apprenticeship

Students combine academic and vocational instruction with paid on-the-job training in fields like healthcare, information technology, finance, and advanced manufacturing. This allows teens to start preparing for skilled trades or technical careers.

In summary, community-based learning encompasses programs that enable students to apply academic learning through hands-on community service, career exploration, and real-world work experiences. These opportunities foster collaboration between schools and community partners while empowering students with practical skills.

Community Based Language Learning in Practice

Structuring the Collaborative Environment

Creating a supportive community environment is key to facilitating collaborative language learning. The classroom setup should promote discussion and interaction, with moveable chairs arranged in a circle or small groups. Wall decorations can reinforce the sense of community, with student names, photos, goals, achievements etc. displayed. Games, books, art supplies and other resources should be available to spark communication. The teacher acts as a counselor, building trust and encouraging students to express themselves without fear of correction. This psychologically safe space helps lower the affective filter and anxiety levels of learners.

Roles of Teachers and Learners

In community based language learning, the traditional teacher-student hierarchy is leveled into a community of collaborative learners. Teachers take on a facilitative role, gently pushing students to construct language while providing vocabulary and grammar support as needed. Their primary function is counseling, building confidence and autonomy in learners to communicate. Students are expected to participate more actively, interacting with peers to discover the target language. This shared responsibility makes the experience more engaging and learner-driven.

Curating Community Based Language Learning Activities

Human Computer - One learner plays a "computer", only able to respond with "I understand" or "I don't understand, please repeat". The other student describes a process like making coffee, forcing them to rephrase statements until fully comprehended.
Storytelling - In pairs or small groups, students narrate personal stories, taking turns adding lines of dialogue. Teachers provide new vocabulary or grammar structures if needed. Learners discuss reactions and ask questions afterwards.
Dramatization - Students choose a scenario like ordering food at a restaurant and act it out spontaneously. The teacher observes where more language work is needed and provides appropriate structures to try.

Fostering Interaction and Language Use

The teacher promotes authentic language use by designing collaborative tasks that necessitate negotiation of meaning between learners. Information gap activities, where students must share unique information to solve a puzzle or mystery, are highly effective. Informal conversations during activities like art projects or games are also impactful. Corrective feedback is given gently and only when communication breaks down completely, to avoid dependence on the teacher. The goal is to facilitate peer interaction and language discovery in a low-pressure community environment.

Advantages and Challenges of Community Based Language Learning

Evaluating the Benefits

The community based language learning (CBLL) approach emphasizes creating a supportive environment where learners feel comfortable taking risks and making mistakes as they acquire language skills. This leads to several advantages:

Increased motivation and engagement: Learners are active participants directing their own learning, which boosts motivation and emotional investment. The collaborative nature also makes learning more enjoyable.
Lower anxiety: The counseling-style approach and focus on affirmation helps lower anxiety levels which facilitates better language retention.
Authentic communication: Conversation topics emerge organically from learners' real interests, enabling authentic dialogue. This helps practical language development.
Learner autonomy: Learners choose topics and direct conversations, developing self-directed learning skills. This ownership of the process empowers them.

Navigating the Disadvantages

However, some challenges can arise:

Preparation time: Teachers must invest significant time understanding students' needs and preparing suitable materials for counseling sessions.
Classroom management: Relying heavily on learner autonomy can lead to discipline issues if boundaries are unclear.
Assessment difficulties: Standard testing methods don't align well with CBLL principles. Portfolios, self-assessment or other authentic methods may be needed.
Applicability concerns: CBLL best suits small groups of intermediate+ learners. Effectiveness for young learners or beginners is debatable.

Language Assessment in a Community Setting

In line with CBLL philosophy, assessment should track real communicative competence gains rather than test grammar knowledge. Recommended methods include:

Learner self-assessment through journals, videos or portfolios documenting progress over time
Peer feedback within the community to highlight strengths & areas for improvement
Conferencing with instructors to set personalized language goals and evaluate skills
Tracking qualitative changes in learner confidence, engagement & interactions

Case Studies: Real-World Applications

CBLL has seen global success across contexts:

Japanese universities have used CBLL to help international students transition into academic life through befriending programs with local students.
The San Francisco Community School has implemented CBLL in elementary classrooms leading to enthusiasm for language production among young learners.
Community adult education initiatives like the Språkhörnan program in Sweden have applied CBLL to support migrants in adapting to a new linguistic and cultural environment.

Results highlight CBLL's versatility but also demonstrate the need for adaptation based on audience, goals and resources.

Conclusion: Embracing Community Based Language Learning

Community based language learning offers a collaborative approach to language acquisition centered around counseling principles and learner autonomy. By embracing vulnerability and support within a community, students can gain confidence to use the target language.

As language educators increasingly shift toward communicative language teaching, community based language learning aligns with principles of learner-centeredness and meaning-focused output. While traditional methods focus on repetition and accuracy, this approach allows for trial-and-error and student-directed goals.

Recap of Community Based Language Learning Essentials

The key aspects of the community based language learning approach include:

Teacher acting as a counselor to lower the affective filter
Non-threatening environment that encourages language production
Student expressing meaning before focusing on accuracy
Community building through small groups
Integration of listening, speaking, reading and writing

This collaborative framework creates a supportive community vital for the risk-taking inherent in language acquisition.

Final Thoughts on Community Engagement and Language Mastery

Ultimately, community lies at the heart of communicating in any language. While traditional teaching methods still have great value, community based language learning offers a holistic vision of language education. This people-centered approach interweaves counseling principles with sound language instruction to nurture engagement. In embracing the unpredictable nature of community, we open new possibilities for authentic human connection through language.