- COMMUNITY LANGUAGE LEARNING METHOD
The method
was inspired from COUNSELING-LEARNING APPROACH, developed by Charles
A. Curran (a
priest).
RATIONALE:
Premises of discussions: (1) Ss are “whole persons”. (2) Ts must
be “language counselors”= a “skillful understander of the
struggle Ss face as they attempt to internalize another language”.
PRINCIPLES
behind learning: (1) “learning is persons”= both T and Ss must
make a commitment of trust to one another and the learning process.
(2) “Learning is dynamic and creative” = learning is a living and
developmental process.
1. GOALS:
to use TL communicatively while becoming responsively aware of their
own learning in a nondefensive, nonthreatening atmosphere.
2. ROALS:
T= Counselor in as much s/he supports Ss master TL. S initially a
“client” and finally an independent learner.
3. TEACHING
/ LEARNING PROCESS: Ss are helped to generate language (T provides TL
translations in chunks) which will later become text for further
explorations. (e.g. examination of a grammar point, pronunciation
work, etc.)
4.
INTERACTION: T = facilitatorS-S;
T = directorS-S
& T-S centered (both equally important in decision-making).
5. DEELING
WITH FEELINGS: T shows Ss he understands how they feel which will
help them overcome negative feelings that might otherwise block their
learning.
6. VIEW OF
LANGUAGE AND CULTURE: Language is for communication and developing
creative thinking. Culture is integrated with language.
7. LANGUAGE
AREAS AND SKILLS THE APPROACH EMPHASIZES: Grammar, pronunciation, and
vocabulary are practised on the language generated by Ss. Listening
and speaking come first.
8. ROLE OF
Ss’ NATIVE LANGUAGE: NL is used for Ss’ security (both when
generating their own corpus of texts and when expressing their
feelings). TL eventually replaces NL.
9. MEANS OF
EVALUATION: Integrative tests are better valued than discrete-point
ones. Self-evaluation is also encouraged.
10.
RESPONSE TO Ss’ ERRORS: In a nonthreatening way: T repeats
correctly what the S has said incorrectly.
LET GO
IDEAS
1. Design
a lesson plan on a transcript of a conversation Ss may have led in
Romanian. Provide five separate activities you could use to teach
them the TL version.
PONDER
AND HYPOTHESISE
2. Are
there techniques of COMMUNITY LANGUAGE LEARNING METHOD which you
would consider adopting? Which ones?
THE COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH
RATIONALE:
(1) Communication means use of functional language in social context.
(2)
Communication also presupposes negotiating-meaning skill (through the
interaction between speaker/reader and listener/writer)
1. GOALS:
To make Ss become communicatively competent
(= being able to use the language appropriate to a given social
context). To manage the process of negotiating meaning with their
interlocutors.
2. ROLES:
T=Facilitator
(1) manager of classroom activities (i.e. setting situations for
communicationadvisor)
(2) “co-communicator” (Littlewood, 1981- engaging in the
communicative activity along with Ss). Ss are both communicators and
managers responsible of their own learning.
3.
TEACHING/LEARNING PROCESS: Language in use
through communicative activities such as
games, role-plays, problem-solving tasks (Morrow, 1981 identifies
three features of genuinely communicative activities: information
gap, choice, and feedback). Authentic
material is a must. Negotiation of meaning can best occur in small
groups.
4.
INTERACTION: T is initiator of communication
activitiesco-communicator
and prompter of S-S communication. All types of S-S Interaction
(pair, triads, small groups, whole group).
5. DEALING
WITH FEELINGS: Ss are more motivated since they feel they learn ‘to
do things with words’ and they can share their opinions on a
regular basis.
6. VIEW OF
LANGUAGE AND CULTURE: Communicative competence is based on linguistic
competence (knowledge of forms and meanings) + functional language +
social context + nonverbal behaviour. Culture is everyday lifestyle
of native people.
7. LANGUAGE
AREAS AND SKILLS THE APPROACH EMPHASIZES: Language functions over
forms (functional syllabus). Gradation of degree of difficulty.
Discourse is envisaged (cohesion, coherence). All four skills are
practised in a communicative perspective (purpose, audience).
8. ROLE OF
Ss’ NATIVE LANGUAGE: not used. TL should be used almost exclusively
(in classroom management exchanges as well) so as to acquire the
value of an authentic vehicle of communication.
9. MEANS OF
EVALUATION: Accuracy + fluency in integrative tests.
10. RESPONSE
TO Ss’ ERRORS: Errors of form are tolerated and seen as a natural
outcome of the development of communication skills.
LET GO
IDEAS
1. Why is
communication a process? And, what does negotiation of meaning
represent? (Consider communicative competence in all its aspects)
2. List
linguistic forms you can use for the function
of complaining. Which would you teach to
beginners/ intermediates/ advanced students and how?
3. Design a
communicative game or problem-solving task or role-play in which the
timetable is used to give your Ss practice in requesting
information.
PONDER
AND HYPOTHESISE
4.
REMINISCE about your past learning experiences and say how often this
method was used by your teacher and how successful it proved.
5. Are
there techniques of THE COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH which you would
consider adopting? Which ones?
6.
What do you think is the correct ratio of both accuracy
and fluency for all
levels and all Ss?
- COMMUNICATIVE SYLLABI TOWARDS A COMMUNICATIVE METHODOLOGY
1. A
structural syllabus introduces
grammatical items and phrases under functional headings.
2. A
functional syllabus introduces
grammatical items and phrases under functional headings.
3. A
task-based syllabus consists
of a sequence of activities or tasks introducing language structures
and functions.
To replace
language ‘learning’ by language ‘acquisition’ is more
commonsensical since “learning’ is a rather subconscious process
which cannot be directly controlled or shaped.
Language
Learning and Teaching Theories
1.
Behaviourism (Skinner):
stimulus - response - reinforcement -> the
Audio-Lingual Method.
- Cognitivism (Mentalism) (N. Chomsky, 1959): competence and performance -> the Communicative Approach.
3.
Acquisition and
Learning (S. Krashen):
the former based on a subconscious process resulting in the knowledge
of a language; the latter results only in “knowing about’ the
language.
4.
Task-based Learning
(Allwright, 1970): Solving communicative problems in the TL by
necessity will ensure language learning.
- Humanistic Approaches: Community Language Learning; Suggestopedia; Silent Way; Total Physical Response.