Question

In Community Language Learning (CLL), what is the term for the initial, often anxiety-reducing, phase where learners dictate their thoughts in their native language to the 'knower' (teacher) who then translates them?

• A. Reflection
• B. Security Phase
• C. Analytical Stage
• D. Independent Application

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Security Phase

Understanding the Security Phase in Community Language Learning (CLL)

• The Security Phase is the initial stage in Community Language Learning (CLL), a language teaching method developed by Charles Curran.
• It is also known as the 'Self-Presentation' stage or the 'Birth Stage' of the learning process.
• During this phase, learners, often seated in a circle, express their thoughts, feelings, or what they want to communicate in their native language (L1).
• The teacher, referred to as the 'Knower' or 'Counselor', acts as a facilitator. They stand behind the learners and provide a verbatim translation of the learners' L1 utterances into the target language (L2).
• The 'Knower' then repeats the L2 translation for the learner to practice, if they choose, often with the learner recording it.
• The primary purpose of the Security Phase is to reduce learner anxiety and create a psychologically safe and supportive environment. This is crucial as CLL is based on the principles of Counseling-Learning, where the teacher acts as a counselor to help learners overcome psychological barriers to learning.
• This phase builds initial trust and rapport between the learners and the 'Knower', and among the learners themselves, fostering a sense of community.
• Learners are not forced to speak the target language immediately; instead, they are given control over their communication, which empowers them and reduces the fear of making mistakes.
• The Counseling-Learning Approach, on which CLL is based, views the teacher as a 'counselor' and the students as 'clients', emphasizing affective (emotional) factors in language acquisition.
• CLL progresses through five stages, metaphorically linked to the stages of human development: Security/Birth, Self-Assertion/Adolescence, Separate-Assurance/Young Adulthood, Independent-Action/Adulthood, and Self-Determination/Retirement. The Security Phase is the foundational first step.