The concept of a community of practice was first introduced by social anthropologist Jean Lave and educational theorist Etienne Wenger in their seminal 1991 book[1] and was then further developed by Wenger in his 1998 work.[2] A community of practice can be defined as a group of people who “share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly”.[3] As I pointed out in a recent article,[4] language education—more than any other discipline—benefits from shared experience and collaboration, when teaching and learning are sustained by the support of a community of practice. For learners, the language learning journey relies on a complex, interrelated network of support, which may include teachers, peers, program staff, friends and family, as well as the wider community, which can include the target culture. In this brief article, we will explore how learners can participate in a community of practice and how this might enhance outcomes. We specifically highlight how our learners at Velocity are benefitting from their broader learning community to stay motivated and reach their ultimate goals.
Many language learners feel alone and isolated in their learning process and often blame themselves if they do not progress adequately or stop learning altogether. Particularly learners in self-directed and non-traditional language programs (for example, those using online synchronous or asynchronous language courses or mobile-assisted language learning) may find it difficult to maintain their motivation. They tend to lack the curricular structure to keep on track and miss the personal touch that might prevent them from slowing down or dropping out. Our learners at Velocity are in this category of non-traditional learners, as the majority of their learning takes place online (both synchronously and asynchronously) out of necessity, as they come from a wide geographic region that makes it difficult to place them in a traditional classroom. In addition, as we have described in an earlier article, they face the daily challenges of balancing work, family, and language learning. All of this can contribute to feelings of isolation in the difficult process of reaching their ambitious language learning goals. Therefore, participating in a community of practice connected to a carefully structured learning environment can be especially helpful to create accountability, normalize challenges, and sustain motivation.
Learners at Velocity do not need to learn in isolation; they have access to an extended, close community that they can rely on for daily support in their learning journey. First and foremost, the learners can connect with a team of dedicated and caring teachers who are available to help with any questions or problems the learners might encounter. In recent conversations with our teachers and learners, we found that teachers made themselves available beyond the daily classes and were happy to follow up with the students at any time and to offer extra help when necessary. The learners also mentioned that they benefitted from the efforts of the program staff members who would call them when they missed a class, reminded them of upcoming deadlines, and checked in when they were falling behind. In addition, the learners reported that they had formed informal peer learning groups to support each other in person, through phone calls, social media, and WhatsApp groups. They shared helpful resources for learning and suggested strategies for exam preparation and practice. They also discussed their common challenges of trying to maintain balance in their busy lives and were there for each other to offer encouragement and to help their peers stay motivated. Beyond the support from peers and program staff, learners at Velocity who reach the B1 level of German and above can take advantage of coaching sessions for interview practice and exam preparation. And for those who have reached the stage of having successfully obtained a job offer in Germany, there are opportunities to connect with colleagues who are already living and working in Germany and who can offer practical advice on making the move to another country. For many of the learners we spoke to, it was important to keep reminding themselves of their ultimate goal to gain better job opportunities and to build a new life in Germany, and being able to reach out to colleagues who had recently gone through that same experience helped them to stay on course. Taking advantage of this extended network can be a lifeline for learners who may struggle with the real-life challenges.
Language learning should not be a lonely struggle, and the presence of a strong and supportive community of practice can make the difference between staying motivated and giving up. Learners who actively participate in and contribute to a vibrant learning community can benefit from their engagement with others and have a much greater chance of reaching their goals.
[1] Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge University Press.
[2] Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press.
[3] Introduction to communities of practice: a brief overview of the concept and its uses, by Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner, June 2015.
[4] Van Deusen-Scholl, N. (2020). The resilience of a community of practice during the COVID-19 crisis. Second Language Research & Practice, 1(1), 144–148. http://hdl.handle.net/10125/69846
