Diane Larsen-Freeman
larsen-freeman-techniques-and-principles-in-language-teaching
larsen-freeman-techniques-and-principles-in-language-teaching
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7<br />
Community<br />
Language<br />
Learning<br />
INTRODUCTI ON<br />
The method we will examine in th is chapter advises teachers to consider<br />
their students as 'whole persons.' Whole-person learning means that<br />
teachers consider not only their students' intellect, bur also have som e<br />
understanding of the relationship am ong students' feelings, physical reactions,<br />
instinctive protective reactions, and desire to learn. Th e<br />
Community La nguage Lea rn ing Method takes its pr incip les from the<br />
more general Counseling-Learning approach developed by Ch arles A.<br />
Curran. Cu rran studied adult learning for many yea rs. He was also influenced<br />
by Carl Rogers' humanistic psycho logy (Rogers 1951; Brown<br />
1994) , and he found that adults often fe el threatened by a new learning<br />
situation. Th ey arc rhrcnrcncd by the change inh erent in learning and by<br />
the fear that they will appear foolish. Curra n believed that a way to deal<br />
with the fears of students is for teachers to become 'language counselo rs.'<br />
A lan gua ge counselor does not mean someon e trained in psychology; it<br />
mea ns someone who is a skillful undcrstandcr of th e struggle students<br />
face as they attempt to internalize another langu age. T he teac her who ca n<br />
'understa nd' can indicate his acceptance of the student. By understanding<br />
students' fea rs and being sensitive to them, he can help student s overcome<br />
their nega tive feelings an d turn them into posit ive energy to further their<br />
lea rning.<br />
Let us see how Curran's ideas are put into pr actice in the Community<br />
Language Learning Method. We will observe a class in a private la nguage<br />
institute in Indonesia. Mo st of the stu dents work during the da y and<br />
com e for language instruction in the evening. Th e class meets two<br />
evenings a week for two hours a session. Th is is the first class.<br />
EXPER IENCE<br />
Th e stude nts arri ve and ta ke their seats. The cha irs arc in a circle aro und<br />
a table that has a ta pe recorder on it. After greeting the st udents, the<br />
teacher introduces himself and has the st uden ts introduce themselves. In
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