CLL 40 Years On - The Learner's Role as a Member of the Learning Community

Ron and Susan Zemke (1981) enumerated in "30 Things We Know for Sure About Learning," thirty "truisms" about adult learning and adult learners in three categories: learner motivation, curriculum design and classroom practice. Concurrent with new and revolutionary theories in adult training and education occurring during the late 1970's - late 1980's, informed by advances in psychology and an emerging social awareness, the field of second language acquisition by adults also abounded with alternative approaches, methodologies and techniques to teaching.

Community Language Learning (CLL) developed by Charles Curran and his associates, combines principles of learning theory with counseling attitudes and techniques. Its proponents were influenced primarily by insights from 1950's holistic psychological counseling approaches. More recent writings on CLL theory refer to language acquisition as a social process.

The learner's role is to become a member of the given language learning community -- whether in a traditional classroom setting, or in some alternative place -- and to learn by interacting with fellow members of that community. Its syllabus emerges from the interaction between the learner's expressed communicative intentions and the teacher's expression of these into suitable target language mastery goals. The learner is seen as starting out somewhat dependent upon the teacher and other classmates, but developing into an independent learner -- growing even to take on a leadership role in the classroom. Instructional materials: evolve out of the interactions of the community; actually, in CLL, the textbook is not considered a necessary component. More about CLL:

• CLL operates out of what learners feel they need to know.
• In CLL the teacher/knower is counselor, supporter, and facilitator.
• CLL is rooted in in a communal relationship between learners and teachers acting supportively and in concert.
• CLL language practice is innovative, with an emphasis on language production.
• CLL holds that learning is multimodal (Curran 1976: 79), and sees learners' commitment, attention, and group participation as central to overcoming barriers of embarrassment, aversion to risk, learning styles and preferences (i.e., the affective domain).

Even though it's 40 years old, Community Language Learning can still be relevant when incorporated, as appropriate, into your curriculum design and classroom practice as part of an effective, eclectic approach to adult language education.

LEARN MORE:

Curran, Charles. 1976. Counseling-Learning in Second Languages. Apple River, IL: Apple River Press.

Richards, Jack C. and Theodore S. Rodgers. 1986. Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. A Description and Analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Zemke, Ron., and Susan Zemke. "30 Things We Know for Sure About Adult Learning," TRAINING Magazine, June 1981. Minn: Lakewood Publications. (Revisited in June 1995 -- they asked themselves, "Has anything changed?") Found at: http://www.trainingmag.com/sites/default/files//TrainingMagazine_1995_AdultsLearning.pdf

30 Chairs Facing Forward, Or Can We Do Better Than That?

ON CURRICULUM DESIGN. The insights gained from early research into training the adult learner continue to inform adult education practice as well as the way we teach English as a Second Language (ESL) even today. Ron and Susan Zemke (1981) enumerated in "30 Things We Know for Sure About Learning," thirty "truisms" about adult learning and adult learners in three categories: learner motivation, curriculum design and classroom practice.

The authors refer to M.S. Knowles' (1980) observation that when confronted with rows of "30 chairs facing forward," adult learners will be prepared for boredom, lack of interaction with classmates, and likely looking to the teacher/trainer as the sole source of input. Knowles' theories proposed a rather dramatic alternative in Self-Directed Learning. The Zemkes believe the adult learner must be free to "take a hand" in the design of the curriculum and the way it's presented. Building upon the insights gained from 35 years' worth of research in the field, easily accessed through modern-day technology, educators of adults have at their fingertips countless resources for curriculum design.

Best practices in adult ed suggest striking a balance between independent, isolated self-teaching and guided presentation by a skilled professional devoted to students' mastery over the course content in a fun, engaging way while accomplishing the institution's goals (as we know, formal testing still plays a role in private, public and community-based centers -- results drive funding!) Such a trained professional knows how to offer a shared vision of the educational guideposts to follow as adult learners make progress in mastery over the content.

Modern classroom presentation, especially in the ESL school room, involves well-planned, sequenced segments of short duration, and masterful use of dyads, mixed groups, round tables, audio-visual stands with computers and headsets, a white board with "smart" technology which interacts with the learner, free movement, a variety of printed materials (books, newspapers, magazines, teacher-made quizzes, realia, etc.), maybe manipulatives and games, and a nice combination of "good noise" (pupil input) and quiet attention to bring about adult learner success.

READ ABOUT IT:

Knowles, M.S. The Modern Practice of Adult Education: From Pedagogy to Andragogy (2nd ed.) New York: Cambridge Books, 1980. Found at: http://www.umsl.edu/~henschkej/articles/a_The_%20Modern_Practice_of_Adult_Education.pdf  

Zemke, R., and S. Zemke. "30 Things We Know for Sure About Adult Learning," TRAINING Magazine, June 1981. Minn: Lakewood Publications. (Revisited in June 1995 -- they asked themselves, "Has anything changed?") Found at: http://www.trainingmag.com/sites/default/files//TrainingMagazine_1995_AdultsLearning.pdf

Even the Self-Directed Learner Needs Facetime with You

Ron and Susan Zemke (1981) caution the teacher/trainer of adults to adopt an eclectic approach to content delivery. They refer to the theories of Malcolm S. Knowles, a proponent of andragogy, self-direction in learning and informal adult education. Knowles (1975) defined "self-directed learning" as a process by which individuals take the initiative, with our without the assistance of others, in

• diagnosing their learning needs, 
• formulating learning goals, 
• identifying human and material resources for learning, 
• choosing and implementing appropriate learning strategies, and 
• evaluating learning outcomes. In other words, the adult learner needs a hand in shaping the curriculum

There was a time when only face-to-face, one-on-one access to the teacher was considered the best and only method of content delivery. And whether for course administration or instructional purposes, most faculty lacked experience with the tools (blackboard, Angel, etc.) to use them as anything more than an augmentation of the traditional classroom lecture.

Private universities and colleges have climbed on the bandwagon, seeking to draw in prospective students with so-called, "blended" courses wherein the larger part of the course requirements may be satisfied with online presence.  State colleges accommodate adult lifestyles with programs offering flexibility, value for money, liberal transfer policies and adaptability, allowing adult learners to customize (hybridize) classes to their preferred learning style.

The Zemkes point out that even the self-professed, self-directed learning enthusiasts will still desire short lectures or seminars with "facetime" to pick the instructor's brains. Here might be called drawbacks to a completely online approach:

1. Some situations lend themselves to Self-Directed Learning better than others. Second language learning classes, hands-on cooking or automotive repair courses, e.g., come to mind. Self-directed learning methods compared with other learning methods in nursing education proved less popular among mature students, in one study. http://joannabriggslibrary.org/index.php/jbisrir/article/view/532/1827
2. Self-Directed Learning needs to be combined with other learning methods for content to be fully learned. In the field of biomedical education, one researcher warns it's way too early to "throw in the towel" on traditional delivery. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/13/105
3. Since Self-Directed Learning is unstructured and independent, it is easy for students to become unproductive due to wide variations in student motivation, technological fluency and prior education. Many adult learners arrive at higher education with inadequate preparation, poor skills or undeveloped work habits. Newly-arrived immigrants and mature workers might be new to online learning. All of these factors demand that one-on-one interaction with a caring and effective teacher be a component of the hybrid course.  

Read about it: Knowles, M. S. (1975) Self-Directed Learning. A guide for learners and teachers, Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall/Cambridge.

Andragogy in Action - Adult Learner as "Neglected Species"

Ron and Susan Zemke (1981) quote from Malcolm Knowles (1973; 1990) in their article for TRAINING referring to research in the field of adult learning as a trip up the Amazon with its discovery of new species and rapids-like hazards. It was Knowles who first suggested in 1980 that adult learners differ from children and that teaching theory as it pertains to adults (andragogy) must rely on 5 basic tenets:

Self-concept

As a person matures his/her self concept moves from one of being a dependent personality toward one of being a self-directed human being.

Adult Learner Experience

As a person matures he/she accumulates a growing reservoir of experience that becomes an increasing resource for learning.

Readiness to Learn

As a person matures his/her readiness to learn becomes oriented increasingly to the developmental tasks of his/her social roles.

Orientation to Learning

As a person matures his/her time perspective changes from one of postponed application of knowledge to immediacy of application, and accordingly his/her orientation toward learning shifts from one of subject- centeredness to one of problem centeredness.

Motivation to Learn

As a person matures the motivation to learn is internal (Knowles 1984:12)

Zemke, R. and Susan. (1981) 30 things we know for sure about adult learning. Training, v18 n6 p45-46,48-49,52. Found at http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ246636

Knowles, M. S. (1973; 1990) The Adult Learner. A neglected species (4e), Houston: Gulf Publishing. 2e. 292 + viii pages.

Knowles, Malcolm S. (1980). The modern practice of adult education; From andragogy to
pedagogy. Cambridge Adult Education.

Knowles, M. S. et al (1984) Andragogy in Action. Applying modern principles of adult education, San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

The Adult Learner Experience: Self-Directed Growth and Successful Efforts to Learn and Change

Back in 1981, Ron and Susan Zemke sought to enumerate the things we as teachers / trainers / facilitators / classroom aides / tutors know about adult learners and their motivation, designing curriculum for adults, and working with adult in the classroom.  They call them "truisms" based on a fairly large body of research conducted over the years about the adult learner.

They point out that our adult learning knowledge base is derived from three main sources: the "tips 'n' tricks" accumulated along the way by teachers/trainers, the "market research approach" to research about adult learner motivation, and research into nonadult (children) learning -- from child development to Skinnerian behavioral mod, to programmed instruction, to Banduran social learning.

Major contributors to adult learning motivation research such as Carol Aslanian seek to utilize sophisticated market research techniques to discern adult learner preferences for mode of delivery of instruction/training and in this case, online delivery is the overwhelming winner. Allen Tough, named "one of six most often used authors" in a survey of the Adult Education Association in 1978, pioneered the field of self-directed growth, personal change, and adults' successful efforts to learn and change.

But it was Malcolm Knowles who first suggested in 1980 that adult learners differ from children and that teaching theory as it pertains to adults (andragogy) must rely on 5 basic tenets:

Self-concept

• As a person matures his/her self concept moves from one of being a dependent personality toward one of being a self-directed human being.

Adult Learner Experience

• As a person matures he/she accumulates a growing reservoir of experience that becomes an increasing resource for learning.

Readiness to Learn

• As a person matures his/her readiness to learn becomes oriented increasingly to the developmental tasks of his/her social roles.

Orientation to Learning

• As a person matures his/her time perspective changes from one of postponed application of knowledge to immediacy of application, and accordingly his/her orientation toward learning shifts from one of subject- centeredness to one of problem centeredness.

Motivation to Learn

• As a person matures the motivation to learn is internal (Knowles 1984:12)

SOURCES:

1.  Zemke, Ron and Susan. (1981). 30 things we know for sure about adult learning. Training, v18 n6 p45-46,48-49,52. Found at http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ246636

2. Aslanian, Carol. (2013). Online college students 2013: comprehensive data on demands and preferences. Learning House. A research report, found at http://www.learninghouse.com/ocs2013-report/

3. Tough, Allen M. (1971). The adult’s learning projects: A fresh approach to theory and practice in adult learning. Toronto: OISE (Second edition, Austin, Texas: Learning Concepts and Toronto: OISE, 1979. The full text is downloadable from allentough.com.

4. Knowles, Malcolm S. (1980). The modern practice of adult education; From andragogy to
pedagogy. Cambridge Adult Education. Mentioned in Fidishun, D. circa (2005). Andragogy and technology: Integrating adult learning theory as we teach with technology. Found at http://www.lindenwood.edu/education/andragogy/andragogy/2011/Fidishun_2005.pdf