The Organic Way of Language Learning
Organic learning self-directed, marked by errors and failures, imagination-driven and guided by sensations. Therefore, it can be a better way of learning language compared to the scholastic or academic way of learning the language. As language cannot be learned or it is difficult to learn the language in the regular academic settings.
Language learning is fun as long as it does not require exams and lectures that the learner does not understand. Consequently, Organic learning can be employed in language classes to improve learning outcomes and enhance the long-lasting impact by encouraging students to speak the language in class without formal assessments and input requirements. The academic settings can only provide a platform for the language learners to join existing groups that speak the language that the person wants to learn.
The current language classes are boring especially for the new learners. The class focuses on reading, listening, writing and speaking at once which becomes hectic for the student. It becomes challenging for the students because a person new to a language has to focus on all aspects of the language at once. Due to which the motivation for learning reduces, and the class becomes boring by the end of the semesters.
Hence, organic learning can be employed to make the language learning classes fun and natural compared to the strictly scholastic classes. To do so, the whole system of language classes must change. The language class can be for three to four semesters instead of being for a single semester. The students can be assigned to a group with the peers who speak the desired language of learning. The students can focus on only one aspect of the language at a time instead of learning all four components of a language.
According to Feldenkrais organic learning is a slow process. But the language learning is challenging and complex matter especially if the language is not native. Therefore, the slow learning process can be introduced in the academic settings of language learning because a person learning a language can develop the necessary skills in the desired language. For instance, if a person who has no experience with English, tries to learn English three months or four months in a conventional classroom will not suffice the learning requirements of the person. To be able to excel a language that person needs time. Consequently, the process of language learning must slow down for the person to be acquainted with the language and learn to speak, write, listen and read it. As language is not a subject where a person can learn theory to pass the exam and forget it after the exam, it is a skill needed for a lifetime. Thus it must be learned for a lifetime. To learn a language for a lifetime, the person must follow the Feldenkrais and make it slow.
Secondly, learning a new language is fun, but with many requirements of the conventional class, it becomes tiring. In a conventional academic class, the teacher dictates the students to learn the language in a certain way, but different people can learn language differently. For instance, if a person learns language by speaking, it would be useless to force that person to learn it while listening. Accordingly, the academic system can introduce a way of learning that is slow and suitable to the needs of the learners. For instance, the schools can introduce the learners to the groups where they can learn the language by living with the people who speak the language. The groups can be within the school or in the community, but the learner attends the groups regularly and speaks to the people, listens to them and starts writing in the second semester when the person has some knowledge of the language. Most of the time languages are learned the best while listening to the natives and interacting with them. Introducing the students to the groups at schools is similar to the Feldenkrais’s theory of cultural learning. The students are learning from the environment or people with whom they stay. They speak with the native. Although this is an intended way of learning, it is integrated with the natural and cultural factors of organic learning as suggested by the Feldenkrais. The person is forced to remain with a certain group and be influenced by the people who speak the language.
Moreover, language is a skill for a lifetime, it must be learned without paying attention to the assessments and failure. Hence, it must be assessment free, and the only people who join the class must consider it fun. While learning the language, it is natural to make mistakes, but if the classes are in such a way that they require assessment and grading of the course, it becomes hectic and boring for the learners. Consequently, people stop learning the language because they are scared of failure and getting a bad grade which is why the classes must focus on learning not on assessments and gradings. For instance, if a person has enrolled in a course because that person is interest such person will learn the language and opt for improving the skills. For such as person there is no need for extra assessment. Additionally, removing the requirements of grading, the class will attract only interested people. And the learners of the language will be able to enjoy the learning when they are free to make errors and use it regularly.
Furthermore, by increasing the period of language classes, introducing the learner to the groups instead of a lecturer, and slowing down the process of language learning will improve the language abilities and natural learning in the learners. According to the Feldenkrais organic learning “increases abilities to choose more freely” and by introducing the organic way of learning the students can learn the language according to their needs and learning capabilities. They can slowly and inherently learn the language that they desire. The whole process of learning becomes natural for the learner. The learner is not scared of failure nor concern about the grade. The learner focuses only on improving language skills in a group of peers. Moreover, living with the people of native language helps the person to use the language according to the standards of the native speakers. Additionally, the language comes naturally to the learner because the person spent most of the time with the language speakers. The person learns at his/her pace without concerning him/herself with peers. The lack of judgment does not reduce the liveliness of the learner and does not affect the learner negatively, although it might slow down the process.
To conclude, the language learning must be through organic learning because it is a lifelong skill. Also, it is a complex process due to which only interested students who can consider and make it fun must learn it. Other people who are not interested must be eliminated from the language classes by accommodating it with the needs of interested learners. The learners of language must focus on the skills and languages can be best learned in the cultural settings where the learners interact with the people on a regular basis. Therefore, schools must introduce a long semester system for language classes grouping the learners with native speakers to improve the language learning opportunities and skills in the learners.
