Curran’s Community Language Learning – response to Wes

May I offer Shrum & Glisan’s summary of Curran’s Community Language Learning (p. 446 3rd ed)?

?1976 – The teacher, in the role as “knower? or “counselor,? should remain passive in order to reduce anxiety among students. Learners learn when working in community with others who are trying to achieve similar goals?translation by teacher from native language to target language in early lessons; theme of each class determined by learners; analysis of group conversations from tapes.?

Can you imagine the disconnect between my classes and the other teachers? classes? I’m not teaching them anything. they’re not learning anything. We laugh, listen to stories, read, draw pictures, write stuff ? that’s NOT LEARNING! Where’s the pain? The boredom?? The tedium? that’s LEARNING! The sense of failure, of anxiety, of guilt and inferiority? those are the things that go into real teaching. This business of telling us we’re doing well? just more of that namby-pamby liberal crap. I’m not in here to learn from these other dumb bunnies; I want a real authority figure in my life and this guy ain’t it.

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