Jo Bertrand, a teacher with the British Council Paris, explains on the Teaching English website that CLL teacher-counselors help students take charge of their learning using a five-step lesson plan. In step 1, called "reflection," students sit around a tape recorder and simply think about topics to discuss. Moving to step 2, known as "recorded conversation," students take turns using their native language to tell their teacher, who stays outside the circle, what they want to say. The teacher then provides translations in the language the students are learning, and one by one, students record their contributions to a conversation.
In step 3 -- the "discussion" -- students talk about how they felt as they recorded their parts of the conversation. "Transcription," the fourth step, has students listen to the tape recording and transcribe the conversation with help from the teacher as requested. In step 5, "language analysis," students analyze their use of the second language.
Anxiety can interfere with the process of learning a new language, especially among adults who fear making fools of themselves. An objective of the CLL approach is to reduce anxiety by using small conversation circles, ideally including less than 10 students. In a successful circle, students feel a sense of community and equality in a noncompetitive atmosphere.
The CLL approach has the teacher standing outside the conversation circle ready to provide knowledge and advice when asked to do so. This makes the teacher a partner in the learning process and less likely to be perceived as a threat. Empathy for students ranks as a vital characteristic of the CLL teacher-counselor.
Another objective of CLL is to help students take charge of their learning. Adherents of the approach believe students learn best when the whole person -- feelings as well as intellect -- is involved. As students direct their study in the conversation circles, they discuss their feelings about the learning process.