SUGGESTOPEDIA
A.
Background
Suggestopedia is the name of a method developed by a bulgarian
scientist, Georgi Lozanov, Lozanov is a physician and psychotherapist at that
time. He developed his method in bulgarian and the method was then introduced
in the Soviet Union, Hungary and East German. This method has been used in a
number of Bulgarian Schools for the teaching a variety of subject eventhough
the principle area of concorns is teaching foreign language. The proponents of
themethod claim that their method works equally well weither or not language
learners spend time on outside study, and gifted and ungifted language learners
study the target language succesfully.
Lozanov daims that memorization in learning by the suggestopedic
method wiil beaccelerated 25 times over that in learning by conventional
method. Suggestopedia can be used to teach both adults and children. His
experiment with adults and children shows that in five weeks they achieved a
basic conversational ease in either French, English, German, Spanish or rusian,
had a working vocabularyof 2000 words with 90% accuracy in recognition recall.
Suggestopedia cannot be separated from the use of yoga, role play,
hypnotizing and music. The method considers the function of analytical, linear
left hemishphere of the brain and that of the intuitive, spaticially responsive
right hemisphere in relaxed way which result in accelarated and highly
motivated learning. This method has been adapted to the American scene but the
method is stiil in accordance with the environment were it was originally
developed: pleasant, cheerful, and decorated. The elements of the method that
are worth considering are an attractive classroom, teachers with dynamic
personality and a state of relaxed alertness in their students.
B.
PRINCIPLES OF
SUGGESTOPEDIA
The principles of the method are derived from observations based on
control experiments (Stevick, 1976: 42). The first principle is that people are
able to learn at rates many time greater that what we commonly assume to be the
limits of human performance. The second principle is that learning is global;
it involves the entire person. The third principle is that people learn either
consciously or unconsciously or both, either rationally or irrationally or
both. The last principle is the one that many people do not always agree with.
In Lozanov method it is beliaved that people posses considerable
metal reserves wich they rarely if ever tap under normal circumstances; it is
alsobeliaved that human being uses 5-10% of his/her brain capacity at the most
(Dorothy,1981: 25).
Among the examples of human
capacities that may be tapped to be optimally used are the ability to learn
rapidly and recall with ease large number of
materials, solve problems with great rapidity and spontaniety, respond
to complex stimuli with creativity. In order to reach the optimal use of brain
capacity, the method suggests language learners to activate the reserve
capacities of language learner. This can be done by “suggestion” . By
suggestion, language teachers can create learning situation in whichthe optimal
use of brain capacities can be achieved.
Suggestion can work well when the learners remove the prior
automatic patterns and open the access to great potential of mental reserve.
Without de-suggesting (removing) the patterns, it is hard for suggestionto
function. The learners must be assured that they have anti-suggestive
barriers and they have to remove them in order to open the access of the
suggestion. The three anti-suggestive barriers are critical logical, intuitive-affective,
and ethical (Lozanov,1982: 148). The first anti-suggestivebarrier is critical
anti-suggestive barrier. This barrier rejects suggestion through reasoning. If
the learners think that it is imposible to learn a foreign language as Lozanov
believes, the possibleto be succesful learners is very slim. This barrier is
the conscious critical thinking. The second anti-suggestive barrier is
intuitive-affective barrie. This seems to be emotional barrier. This barrier is
believed to come from anything that may produce a feeling of lack confidence or insecurity. If the
learners feel taht they will loose their confidence or self-esteem, they are
likely not to reach the success in learning. The third anti-suggestive barrier
is ethical barrier. The learners will reject everything that is not in harmony
with the ethical sense they have. The ethical sense may have been established
from family or society.
In Lozanov method it is also believed that learning involves the
entire person. The response of a man to every stimulus is very complex. It also
involves many unconscious processes which have become automatic responses. For
example, when we begin to fall, we respond in many ways, physically,
emotonally, and mentally. These responses are unconscious (Dorothy, 1981: 25).
Such responses are largely patterned in many ways and individuals have peculiar
ways. Their responses would tend to be automatic and typical for individuals.
The differences in responding to learningstimuli are also unique and different
people woould respond similar stimuli in different ways.
There are two basic kinds of suggestion in Lozanov method: direct
and indirect. Direct suggestion is meant to deal with conscious processes and
indirect suggestion to deal with unconscious processes. The examples of
conscious processes are all activities that occur in direct learning-teaching
interaction. The examples of indirect suggestion are communication factors
outside our conscious awareness such as voice, tone, facial expression, body
posture and movement, speech tempo, rhythms, accent, etc. Another factor in
language learning that can be function as indirect suggestion is classroom
arrangement, such as decor, lighting, noise level, etc. The two types of
suggestion are often called two plenes of learning process.
§ Means of suggestions
To create effective learning environment there are several means of
suggestion which are the most powerful and essential for language teacher. This
suggestion may overcome the anti-suggestive barriers the learners have(Dorothy,
1981: 28)
1.
A careful orchestrated
physical environment.
2.
The teacher is
thoroughly trained in the art of suggestive communication-with a) a well
developed sense of authority b) the abality to evoke are receptive, playful,
child-like state in the student, c) a mastery of double-plane behavior,
especially the abality to use appropriately and purposefully suggestive
language, voice, intonation, facial and body expression.
3.
Music.
4.
Carefully
integrated suggestive written materials.
5.
Visual stimuli.
It is clear that languagae teachers should be well trained in the
Suggestopedia in order to present language materials through this method. The
following are some of the characteristics expected from language teacher
teacher.
1.
The teacher
should love and master the subject.
2.
The teacher
should have energetic, joyful, playful spirit.
3.
The teacher
should have a well-integrated personality.
4.
The teacher
should have well-developed sense of authority.
5.
The teacher
should have balance self-esteem and esteem for others.
6.
The teacher
should have well-developed feeling for music, especially classical.
7.
The teacher
should have flexible communication: ability to respond and incorporate.
To teach a foreign language through the Suggestopedia, language
teacher is also expected to have sense of drama and the theatrical and
knowledge of visual arts. This sense is needed to create the learning
environment conducive to learning success since through this knowledge the
teacher may provide the language learners with suggestion.
C.
BASIC
ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT LANGUAGE
Event though Lozanov does not articulate a theory of language, the
method emphasize onmemorization of
vocabulary and its native translation (Richards and Rodgers, 1986: 144 and
2001). The materials to teach seem to be texts with its translation, followed
by explanations of grammar of the foreign language (Dorothy, 1981:1-22). The
texts may comprise of dialogues, songsor pictures with words in a target
language. In other words, the method
suggests that language is seen as a set of grammatical rules and its
vocabulary. Grammatical rules and its vocabulary are presented in texts.
Languagae teachers should present and explain the grammar and vocabulary but
these components of the language are not the main activity of the teachers
(Larsen-Freeman, 1986: 78 and 2000). Translation into mother tongue is not
avoided as long as it makes the meaning clear. The texts are graded by lexis
ang grammar. Language learners are expected to learn a vocabulary list
consisting of new words in the target language.The textbook in the suggestopedic
approach plays an important role. The text usually consists of alighthearted
story with a pleasant and emotional
spot.
D.
BASIC
ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT LANGUAGE LEARNING
Like other methods, the Suggestopedia also has assumptions about
learning. Some of the assumptions seem to be different from other methods; they
are not only psychological but also metaphysical.
1.
Learning
involves the unconscious functions, as well as the conscious function.
2.
The norms of
the society often block the processs of learning. Language learners are often
blocked by the limitations which the society has suggested.
3.
In learning
learner need some psychological and artistic tools. The psychological tools
include liveliness, joy and cheerfulness in the learning environment.
4.
Related to the
second assumption, removing the psychic tensions will accelerate the process of
learning.
5.
Related to the
consciousness andunconciouness, learning will
take place effectively when there is a unity of the
conscious-paraconscious and integral brain activation.
6.
Activating
learners’ imagination will aid learning. This
can be done by inviting the learners to take mental trip with the
teacher.
E. PROCEDURES OF
SUGGESTOPEDIA
Lozanov suggests three principles
of the suggestopedic lesson in aa foreign language: the pre-session phase, the
session phase, and the post-session phase.
ü The pre-session phase takes about
15 to 20 minutes. In this phase the students are made familiar with the key
topics of the new materials for the first time. The organization of this “first
encounter” is of particular importance in creating a positive mind set for
reserve capacities. A great part of the material is memorized during this
phase. The teacher explains the new material very briefly, i.e., deciphers the thematic
dialogue in a few supporting points. In doing this, he must suggest through his
behavior that the assimilation has begun and all is pleasant and easy. Already
during the deciphering, which is a stage of giving the primary information, the following stages should be noted: fixation,
reproduction, and new creative production.
ü The session phase compires the
session itself, which has already been describe above. It lasts for 45 minutes,
and with it the day’s lesson always come to an end.
ü The post-session phase is devoted
to various elaborations of the materials to active its assimilation.
ü The elaborations comprise reading
and translation of the text, songs, games, an extra text (a monologue),
retelling, and conversation on given themes. All this merges into role-playing
should take place only when the students themselves express the wish to do it.
The activation must be spontaneous. Thus the teaching and learning acquires
sense and meaning.
The principles suggested in the
suggestopedic lesson can be developed in wide range of techniques.
The students are seated in
cushioned armchairs that are arranged in a semicircle facing the front of the
room. The lighting is dim. There is soft music playing. There are several
posters on the walls. Most of them are travel posters. Some posters contain
grammatical information.
The teacher greets the students in the target language
(German) tells them in English in that they are about to begin a new and
experience in language learning.
With the music playing the teacher invites the students to close their eyes and
become aware of their breathing. She says almost in whisper “In, out, in out”.
She then invites the students to take an imaginary trip with her. She tells
them that they are going to Germany. She will be their guide. She describes the
air plane flight, what they will see when they first land and how they will
feel in the airport. She tells them to listen to the German all around them and
to feel themselves replaying fluently in German to questions posed to them by
the customs and immigrations officials. “Now”, she says” slowly bring your
awareness back to this room, its sound and
its smells. When you are ready, open your eyes. Welcome to German”
(Larsen-Freeman, 1986: 72-77 and 2001).
Next, the teacher tells that
during the course the students will create an imaginary biography about the
life of their new identify. But for now, she says they should just choose a
profession to go with the new name. Using pantomime to help the students
understand, the teacher acts out various occupations, such as pilot, singer,
carpenter, and artist. The students choose what they want to be.
The teacher greets each student
using his new name and asks him a few questions in German about his new occupation. Through her actions the
students understand the meaning and reply yes or no in German. She then
teaches them a short German dialog in
which two people greet each other and inquire what each other does for a
living. After practicing the dialogue with the group and with individual
students, the teacher tells the class to pretend that they are each at a party
where they don’t know anyone. The students stand up and walk around the room,
greeting one another (Larsen-Freeman, 1986: 74 and 2000).
Lozanov also describes the main part
of a Suggestopedia language class. This is the last part of the three distrinct
parts in language class (cited in Richards and Rogers, 1986: 151).Suggestopedia has been criticized. As noted by Scovel (cited
in Brown, 1987: 141), Lozanov’s experimental data on the success of language
learning were highly questionable. The practicality of using Suggestopedia is
also questionable since in this method language teacher requires comfortable
chairs and music which are often not available. Scovel only suggest that
language teachers must try to extract from the insights of the method and adapt
those insights to their teaching contexts.
- You can see the video about suggestopedia in this link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rkrvRlty5M&noredirect=1
