C.L.L. Revisited – addressing socio-cultural factors in language learning

This article deals with the methodology of Community Language Learning (C.L.L.) from a cultural and discourse perspective. It seeks to demonstrate how C.L.L. can be exploited effectively in the classroom as a means of addressing the socio-cultural dimension of language learning and teaching. The original C.L.L. model (Charles Curran’s) is examined, and a modified version described and analyzed. The central feature of counselling strategies is highlighted and illustrated, demonstrating the importance of negotiating rather than imposing meaning. The article then explores how C.L.L. is effective in reaching a number of short-term goals: e.g. text repair; learning about socio-cultural conventions and learning to use language appropriate to these conventions; exposing incidents of language failure and reasons for these. The importance of the teacher’s understanding of discourse conventions is underlined. Finally C.L.L. is reviewed in terms of both its weaknesses and strengths.