Definition of Community Language Learning

2.4 General concept of Community Language Learning

2.4.1 Definition of Community Language Learning

Community Language Learning CLL method is a method which concerns with counseling technique where the teacher has a role as a counselor who helps the students in every activity of learning process if they face some difficulties to speak in English. According to Jack C. Richards 1986:113: Community Language Learning CLL is the name of a method developed by Charles A.Curan which is designed for monolingual conversation classes where the teacher-counselor will be able to speak the learners L1. The intention is that it will integrate translation so that the students will disassociate language learning with risk taking. It is a method that is based on English for communication and learner-focused. Although each course is unique and student-dictated, there are certain criteria that should be applied to all CLL classrooms, namely a focus on fluency in the early stages. This methodology is not same with the usual methods by which languages are taught. It is an approach that concerns with counseling techniques. It means that the learner is not thought of as a student but as a client. The native instructors of the language are not considered teachers but as a language counselor. According to Charles Curan 1972, as quoted by Brown 2001:25, “learners in the classroom are regarded not as a “class” but a “group” that need certain therapy and counseling.” So, there are no big gap between a teacher and students which usually build a comfortable atmosphere. The group will be the supportive community for the students to communicate in the target language. In addition, Larsen Freeman 2000:128-129 states that, ”the teacher facilitates communication in the classroom. In this role, one of his major responsibilities is to establish situation likely to promote communication. Above all, students are communicators.” Each of the participants in CLL class has his or her own role. According to Jack C.Richard 1986:120-122: Learners are expected to listen attentively to the knower, to freely provide meanings they wish to express, to repeat target utterances without hesitation, to support fellow members of the community, to report deep inner feelings and frustrations as well as joy and pleasure, and to become counselors to other learners. The teacher, meanwhile, has role to provide a safe environment in which „clients‟ can learn and grow, and operate the class activities, without conventional materials, depending on student topic to shape and motivate the class. Whereas, a textbook is not considered a necessary component; materials may be developed by the teacher as the course develops. In relation to above explanation, I conclude that community language learning is a method which is very appropriate in teaching English for improving speaking ability. In working the method, the teacher will ask the students to arrange their seats into a circle because CLL itself is a method that concerns with a group work. In this method, students are asked to act certain characters in the certain situations within the materials which are not merely from textbook. The group will be the supportive community to encourage the students to be brave to speak; and the teacher can hold a role as a counselor who guides and helps them express what they want to say by giving them the target language translation in chunks. They, in the group are also given evaluation and suggestion to each other which will build a conducive environment in the community.

2.4.2 Procedures of Community Language Learning