Lesson 1 - A Soldier's Lie
The Story
Once a soldier asked his commanding officer for a day's leave to attend his sister's wedding.
The officer asked him to wait outside the door for a few minutes while he considered the request.
The officer then called the soldier back in and said, "You are a liar. I've just phoned your sister and she told me she's already married."
"Well, sir, you're an even bigger liar," the soldier replied, "because I don't even have a sister."
Vocabulary Practice
Mark the best choice.
1. 'Leave' here means ......
a. going out from a place
b. one part of a tree
c. permission to be absent from work
d. asking a person for some money
2. To 'attend' here means to ...
a. take care of
b. pay for
c. be present at
d. look at
Questions for Discussion
1. Why did the soldier tell the officer a lie?
2. Why did the officer tell the soldier a lie?
3. Can you remember telling such lies?
Activities
1. Now you tell your friend(s) the story in your own words:
2. Pronounce the following words several times:
1. Command
2. Officer
3. Attend
4. Soldier
5. Already
A Related Proverb
One foot cannot stand on two boats.
Minggu, 04 Juli 2010
A Sample of Lesson 'My Classmates'
How well do you know really know your classmates? Find someone who fits each sentence and let that person sign his or her name in the space. Ask questions in English.
1. ___________________________ has a telephone number that ends with 5.
2. ___________________________ lives more than two hours from school.
3. ___________________________ plans to go to New York this summer.
4. ___________________________ went skiing during winter vacation.
5. ___________________________ rides a motorcycle to school.
6. ___________________________ will go to a movie on Saturday.
7. ___________________________ has two younger brothers.
8. ___________________________ rides a bicycle to school.
9. ___________________________ `s favorite color is blue.
10. __________________________ likes to play volleyball.
11. __________________________ has a birthday in June.
12. __________________________ eats bread every day.
13. __________________________ has a dog for a pet.
14. __________________________ likes to read books.
15. __________________________ can play the guitar.
16. __________________________ does not like cake.
17. __________________________ plays baseball.
18. __________________________ enjoys swimming.
1. ___________________________ has a telephone number that ends with 5.
2. ___________________________ lives more than two hours from school.
3. ___________________________ plans to go to New York this summer.
4. ___________________________ went skiing during winter vacation.
5. ___________________________ rides a motorcycle to school.
6. ___________________________ will go to a movie on Saturday.
7. ___________________________ has two younger brothers.
8. ___________________________ rides a bicycle to school.
9. ___________________________ `s favorite color is blue.
10. __________________________ likes to play volleyball.
11. __________________________ has a birthday in June.
12. __________________________ eats bread every day.
13. __________________________ has a dog for a pet.
14. __________________________ likes to read books.
15. __________________________ can play the guitar.
16. __________________________ does not like cake.
17. __________________________ plays baseball.
18. __________________________ enjoys swimming.
Tips and Ideas for the First Day of Classes
One of the most important class days is the first. The first day can excite students about the class, calm their fears, and set their expectations for the semester. The first day is an opportunity for the teacher to get to know and begin to evaluate students and to express expectations for the semester.
Be Early
Be early for class, even if only a few minutes, so that you can write on the board what the class is, i.e. Conversation 305, Intensive Level 5. Being early allows you to arrange the room the way you want to and to make sure all the necessary equipment is there. Write your name on the board. Do you want your students first impression of you to be one where you run in like a chicken with your head cut off, or one where you appear organized and in control?
Be Accessible
When your students have arrived (or, frequently, as they are arriving) introduce yourself. If you use a nickname, explain what it means and why you use it. If you have office hours, tell students when they are and where your office is. Giving your students your pager and office or home telephone numbers allows them to call you when they won't be in class or to find out what work they missed, and makes them feel closer to you. You seem more accessible. Give them your e-mail account and tell them they can practice writing by sending you messages.
Nicknames
At this point you can write students names in your roll book. Encourage students to take English nicknames. Not only will this make remembering them easier for you, it allows shy students a false identity to hide behind when they answer questions or do role plays.
Location, Location, Location
Explain the location of rooms and areas in the building. Students need to know where the toilets, smoking areas, and vending machines are.Tell students where the school secretaries and the bursar's offices are. Don't forget to advise the students of procedures in case of emergencies.
Class Rules
Talk about class rules. Students need to know what the absence and homework policies are. If you don't allow cell phones or eating in class, it's easier to deal with it on the first day, rather than address it when it occurs. You may have to address it then, as well, but you laid the ground work on day one.
What's Happening?
Students should be told about school opportunities. Some schools have English clubs, or international student associations. If your school offers TOEFL classes or ESP classes, tell the students. Advise students of study areas. School breaks and holidays should, also, be addressed.
Asking students what they expect and want from class not only gives you ideas of how to tailor the class to your students needs, but it starts them talking.
Show students the textbooks and tell them where they can buy them. This will ensure they have the right books and reinforce that they are in the correct class. However, if possible, don't jump into the book the first day. There are other introductory activities that can be used to get students talking to each other.
Introduction Games
There are a myriad of introduction games to get to know students and to get them talking. Very simple ones, such as introducing yourself and telling an interest, with the next person repeating the information and adding theirs, works well with lower level learners. A variation of this is to toss a ball, or other small object, back and forth, with the person catching providing the information.
Interview games are sometimes better for students too shy to speak in front of groups. Prepare a list of questions, such as "Who can play piano?", "Who can say 'good morning' in German?", and "Who has one brother?", and have students walk around and interview each other to gather the information. A variation of this is to put the questions on a Bingo board. If students shyly stand waiting to be approached, take them to other students and walk them through an interview. The teacher should also participate. This is a chance for you to get to know you students.
An activity that works well with classes that have been together for several months is Timeline. A timeline is a graph that notes important events, such as birth, school graduations, moving from one town to another, and marriage, and the dates they occurred on. Feel free to include less serious moments such as "my first kiss". Students enjoy learning special things about the teacher.
Before class, teachers prepare a timeline of their life. Teachers show their example, explain the idea, give the student paper, and have them prepare one. Tell students to list at least five or six events and not to put their names on the timelines. Collect them, when the students finish, number them, and tape the time lines up around the room. Students then need to walk around the room and interview each other to determine which timeline belongs to which classmate. Students can ask either open ended information questions (When were you born?) or yes/no questions (Did you get your first kiss in 1995?), but can not ask the interviewee's number. After students have determined which timeline belongs to which student, or after a set time, remove the timelines from the walls and ask students who is who.
These introductory tips and exercises work best with a two hour block of time, but can be adjusted for shorter classes. Stretching this into a longer class could become tedious.
All the time you are doing the exercises, you should be evaluating the students. Who has a good command of grammar? Who spells well? Who is shy, or outgoing? You can use all of this information during the semester.
Thank Students
Finally, thank the student for enrolling in the class. This is a simple thing, but in the first days of class, when a lot is happening, students need to know they are appreciated. This is, certainly, important with private language institutes, but university students need this, too.
Closing Comments
Remember when you were a student starting a new class. You wanted to know who those people next to you were. You wanted to know who the teacher was and what was expected of you. And you wanted to know where the bathroom was. Following this plan, or a similar one, will answer your student's questions and help you to get to know them better and faster.
Be Early
Be early for class, even if only a few minutes, so that you can write on the board what the class is, i.e. Conversation 305, Intensive Level 5. Being early allows you to arrange the room the way you want to and to make sure all the necessary equipment is there. Write your name on the board. Do you want your students first impression of you to be one where you run in like a chicken with your head cut off, or one where you appear organized and in control?
Be Accessible
When your students have arrived (or, frequently, as they are arriving) introduce yourself. If you use a nickname, explain what it means and why you use it. If you have office hours, tell students when they are and where your office is. Giving your students your pager and office or home telephone numbers allows them to call you when they won't be in class or to find out what work they missed, and makes them feel closer to you. You seem more accessible. Give them your e-mail account and tell them they can practice writing by sending you messages.
Nicknames
At this point you can write students names in your roll book. Encourage students to take English nicknames. Not only will this make remembering them easier for you, it allows shy students a false identity to hide behind when they answer questions or do role plays.
Location, Location, Location
Explain the location of rooms and areas in the building. Students need to know where the toilets, smoking areas, and vending machines are.Tell students where the school secretaries and the bursar's offices are. Don't forget to advise the students of procedures in case of emergencies.
Class Rules
Talk about class rules. Students need to know what the absence and homework policies are. If you don't allow cell phones or eating in class, it's easier to deal with it on the first day, rather than address it when it occurs. You may have to address it then, as well, but you laid the ground work on day one.
What's Happening?
Students should be told about school opportunities. Some schools have English clubs, or international student associations. If your school offers TOEFL classes or ESP classes, tell the students. Advise students of study areas. School breaks and holidays should, also, be addressed.
Asking students what they expect and want from class not only gives you ideas of how to tailor the class to your students needs, but it starts them talking.
Show students the textbooks and tell them where they can buy them. This will ensure they have the right books and reinforce that they are in the correct class. However, if possible, don't jump into the book the first day. There are other introductory activities that can be used to get students talking to each other.
Introduction Games
There are a myriad of introduction games to get to know students and to get them talking. Very simple ones, such as introducing yourself and telling an interest, with the next person repeating the information and adding theirs, works well with lower level learners. A variation of this is to toss a ball, or other small object, back and forth, with the person catching providing the information.
Interview games are sometimes better for students too shy to speak in front of groups. Prepare a list of questions, such as "Who can play piano?", "Who can say 'good morning' in German?", and "Who has one brother?", and have students walk around and interview each other to gather the information. A variation of this is to put the questions on a Bingo board. If students shyly stand waiting to be approached, take them to other students and walk them through an interview. The teacher should also participate. This is a chance for you to get to know you students.
An activity that works well with classes that have been together for several months is Timeline. A timeline is a graph that notes important events, such as birth, school graduations, moving from one town to another, and marriage, and the dates they occurred on. Feel free to include less serious moments such as "my first kiss". Students enjoy learning special things about the teacher.
Before class, teachers prepare a timeline of their life. Teachers show their example, explain the idea, give the student paper, and have them prepare one. Tell students to list at least five or six events and not to put their names on the timelines. Collect them, when the students finish, number them, and tape the time lines up around the room. Students then need to walk around the room and interview each other to determine which timeline belongs to which classmate. Students can ask either open ended information questions (When were you born?) or yes/no questions (Did you get your first kiss in 1995?), but can not ask the interviewee's number. After students have determined which timeline belongs to which student, or after a set time, remove the timelines from the walls and ask students who is who.
These introductory tips and exercises work best with a two hour block of time, but can be adjusted for shorter classes. Stretching this into a longer class could become tedious.
All the time you are doing the exercises, you should be evaluating the students. Who has a good command of grammar? Who spells well? Who is shy, or outgoing? You can use all of this information during the semester.
Thank Students
Finally, thank the student for enrolling in the class. This is a simple thing, but in the first days of class, when a lot is happening, students need to know they are appreciated. This is, certainly, important with private language institutes, but university students need this, too.
Closing Comments
Remember when you were a student starting a new class. You wanted to know who those people next to you were. You wanted to know who the teacher was and what was expected of you. And you wanted to know where the bathroom was. Following this plan, or a similar one, will answer your student's questions and help you to get to know them better and faster.
SOME METHODS TEACHING
Lecture
STRENGTHS:
- presents factual material in direct, logical manner
- contains experience which inspires
- stimulates thinking to open discussion
- useful for large groups
LIMITATIONS:
- experts are not always good teachers
- audience is passive
- learning is difficult to gauge
- communication in one way
PREPARATION:
- needs clear introduction and summary
- needs time and content limit to be effective
- should include examples, anecdotes
Lecture With Discussion
STRENGTHS:
- involves audience at least after the lecture
- audience can question, clarify & challenge
LIMITATIONS:
- time may limit discussion period
- quality is limited to quality of questions and discussion
PREPARATION:
- requires that questions be prepared prior to discussion
Brainstorming
STRENGTHS:
- listening exercise that allows creative thinking for new ideas
- encourages full participation because all ideas equally recorded
- draws on group's knowledge and experience
- spirit of congeniality is created
- one idea can spark off other other ideas
LIMITATIONS:
- can be unfocused
- needs to be limited to 5 - 7 minutes
- people may have difficulty getting away from known reality
- if not facilitated well, criticism and evaluation may occur
PREPARATION:
- facilitator selects issue
- must have some ideas if group needs to be stimulated
Videotapes
STRENGTHS:
- entertaining way of teaching content and raising issues
- keep group's attention
- looks professional
- stimulates discussion
LIMITATIONS:
- can raise too many issues to have a focused discussion
- discussion may not have full participation
- only as effective as following discussion
PREPARATION:
- need to set up equipment
- effective only if facilitator prepares questions to discuss after the show
Class Discussion
STRENGTHS:
- pools ideas and experiences from group
- effective after a presentation, film or experience that needs to be analyzed
- allows everyone to participate in an active process
LIMITATIONS:
- not practical with more that 20 people
- few people can dominate
- others may not participate
- is time consuming
- can get off the track
PREPARATION:
- requires careful planning by facilitator to guide discussion
- requires question outline
Role Playing
STRENGTHS:
- introduces problem situation dramatically
- provides opportunity for people to assume roles of others and thus appreciate another point of view
- allows for exploration of solutions
- provides opportunity to practice skills
LIMITATIONS:
- people may be too self-conscious
- not appropriate for large groups
- people may feel threatened
PREPARATION:
- trainer has to define problem situation and roles clearly
- trainer must give very clear instructions
STRENGTHS:
- presents factual material in direct, logical manner
- contains experience which inspires
- stimulates thinking to open discussion
- useful for large groups
LIMITATIONS:
- experts are not always good teachers
- audience is passive
- learning is difficult to gauge
- communication in one way
PREPARATION:
- needs clear introduction and summary
- needs time and content limit to be effective
- should include examples, anecdotes
Lecture With Discussion
STRENGTHS:
- involves audience at least after the lecture
- audience can question, clarify & challenge
LIMITATIONS:
- time may limit discussion period
- quality is limited to quality of questions and discussion
PREPARATION:
- requires that questions be prepared prior to discussion
Brainstorming
STRENGTHS:
- listening exercise that allows creative thinking for new ideas
- encourages full participation because all ideas equally recorded
- draws on group's knowledge and experience
- spirit of congeniality is created
- one idea can spark off other other ideas
LIMITATIONS:
- can be unfocused
- needs to be limited to 5 - 7 minutes
- people may have difficulty getting away from known reality
- if not facilitated well, criticism and evaluation may occur
PREPARATION:
- facilitator selects issue
- must have some ideas if group needs to be stimulated
Videotapes
STRENGTHS:
- entertaining way of teaching content and raising issues
- keep group's attention
- looks professional
- stimulates discussion
LIMITATIONS:
- can raise too many issues to have a focused discussion
- discussion may not have full participation
- only as effective as following discussion
PREPARATION:
- need to set up equipment
- effective only if facilitator prepares questions to discuss after the show
Class Discussion
STRENGTHS:
- pools ideas and experiences from group
- effective after a presentation, film or experience that needs to be analyzed
- allows everyone to participate in an active process
LIMITATIONS:
- not practical with more that 20 people
- few people can dominate
- others may not participate
- is time consuming
- can get off the track
PREPARATION:
- requires careful planning by facilitator to guide discussion
- requires question outline
Role Playing
STRENGTHS:
- introduces problem situation dramatically
- provides opportunity for people to assume roles of others and thus appreciate another point of view
- allows for exploration of solutions
- provides opportunity to practice skills
LIMITATIONS:
- people may be too self-conscious
- not appropriate for large groups
- people may feel threatened
PREPARATION:
- trainer has to define problem situation and roles clearly
- trainer must give very clear instructions
Rabu, 30 Juni 2010
Communicative Language Teaching
Communicative language teaching
Introduction
Communicative language teaching began in Britain in the 1960s as a replacement to the earlier structural method, called Situational Language Teaching. This was partly in response to Chomsky's criticisms of structural theories of language and partly based on the theories of British functional linguistis, such as Firth and Halliday, as well as American sociolinguists, such as Hymes , Gumperz and Labov and the writings of Austin and Searle on speech acts.
Approach
Theory of language
The functional view of language is the primary one behind the communicative method, as well as
Theory of learning
Not a great deal has been written about the learning theory behind the communicative approaches, but here are some principlesthat may be inferred:
* activities that involve real communication promote learning
* activities in which language is used for carrying out meaningful tasks promote learning
* language that is meaningful to the learner promotes learning
Design
Objectives
Here are some of the objectives of Communicative Language Teaching:
* students will learn to use languge as a means of expression
* students will use language as a means of expressing values and judgments
* students will learn to express the functions that best meet their own communication needs.
The syllabus
Communicative language teaching often uses a functional-notional syllabus. Yalden(1987) has classified a number of communicative syllabus types.
Types of learning techniques and activities
Communicative language teaching uses almost any activity that engages learners in authentic communication. Littewood, however has distinguished two major activity types:
* functional communication activities: ones aimed at developing certain language skillsand functions, but which involve communication, and
* social interaction activities, such as conversation and discussion sessions, dialogues and role plays
Procedure
It is difficult to summarize the procedure in communicative classes because of the wide variety of activities used.
Introduction
Communicative language teaching began in Britain in the 1960s as a replacement to the earlier structural method, called Situational Language Teaching. This was partly in response to Chomsky's criticisms of structural theories of language and partly based on the theories of British functional linguistis, such as Firth and Halliday, as well as American sociolinguists, such as Hymes , Gumperz and Labov and the writings of Austin and Searle on speech acts.
Approach
Theory of language
The functional view of language is the primary one behind the communicative method, as well as
Theory of learning
Not a great deal has been written about the learning theory behind the communicative approaches, but here are some principlesthat may be inferred:
* activities that involve real communication promote learning
* activities in which language is used for carrying out meaningful tasks promote learning
* language that is meaningful to the learner promotes learning
Design
Objectives
Here are some of the objectives of Communicative Language Teaching:
* students will learn to use languge as a means of expression
* students will use language as a means of expressing values and judgments
* students will learn to express the functions that best meet their own communication needs.
The syllabus
Communicative language teaching often uses a functional-notional syllabus. Yalden(1987) has classified a number of communicative syllabus types.
Types of learning techniques and activities
Communicative language teaching uses almost any activity that engages learners in authentic communication. Littewood, however has distinguished two major activity types:
* functional communication activities: ones aimed at developing certain language skillsand functions, but which involve communication, and
* social interaction activities, such as conversation and discussion sessions, dialogues and role plays
Procedure
It is difficult to summarize the procedure in communicative classes because of the wide variety of activities used.
Natural Approach
The Natural Approach
Introduction
The Natural Approach was developed by Tracy Terrell and Stephen Krashen, starting in 1977. It came to have a wide influence in language teaching in the United States and around the world.
Approach
Theory of language
The Communicative view of language is the view behind the Natural Approach. Particular emphasis is laid on language as a set of messages that can be understood.
Theory of learning
The Natural Approach is based on the following tenets:
* Language acquisition (an unconscious process developed through using language meaningfully) is different from language learning (consciously learning or discovering rules about a language) and language acquisition is the only way competence in a second language occurs. (The acquisition/learning hypothesis)
* Conscious learning operates only as a monitor or editor that checks or repairs the output of what has been acquired. (The monitor hypothesis)
* Grammatical structures are acquired in a predictable order and it does little good to try to learn them in another order.(The natural order hypothesis).
* People acquire language best from messages that are just slightly beyond their current competence. (The input hypothesis)
* The learner's emotional state can act as a filter that impedes or blocks input necessary to acquisition. (The affective filter hypothesis)
Objectives
Here are some of the objectives of the Natural Approach
* it is designed to help beginner become intermediates
* It is designed to depend on learner needs
The syllabus
The syllabus for the Natural Approach is a communicative syllabus.
Types of learning techniques and activities
* Comprehensible input is presented in the target language, using technqiues such as TPR, mime and gesture.
* Group techniques are similar to Communicative Language Teaching.
* Learners start to talk when they are ready.
Procedure
The Natural Approach adopts techniques and activities from different sources but uses them to provide comprehensible input.
Introduction
The Natural Approach was developed by Tracy Terrell and Stephen Krashen, starting in 1977. It came to have a wide influence in language teaching in the United States and around the world.
Approach
Theory of language
The Communicative view of language is the view behind the Natural Approach. Particular emphasis is laid on language as a set of messages that can be understood.
Theory of learning
The Natural Approach is based on the following tenets:
* Language acquisition (an unconscious process developed through using language meaningfully) is different from language learning (consciously learning or discovering rules about a language) and language acquisition is the only way competence in a second language occurs. (The acquisition/learning hypothesis)
* Conscious learning operates only as a monitor or editor that checks or repairs the output of what has been acquired. (The monitor hypothesis)
* Grammatical structures are acquired in a predictable order and it does little good to try to learn them in another order.(The natural order hypothesis).
* People acquire language best from messages that are just slightly beyond their current competence. (The input hypothesis)
* The learner's emotional state can act as a filter that impedes or blocks input necessary to acquisition. (The affective filter hypothesis)
Objectives
Here are some of the objectives of the Natural Approach
* it is designed to help beginner become intermediates
* It is designed to depend on learner needs
The syllabus
The syllabus for the Natural Approach is a communicative syllabus.
Types of learning techniques and activities
* Comprehensible input is presented in the target language, using technqiues such as TPR, mime and gesture.
* Group techniques are similar to Communicative Language Teaching.
* Learners start to talk when they are ready.
Procedure
The Natural Approach adopts techniques and activities from different sources but uses them to provide comprehensible input.
Rabu, 26 Mei 2010
Suggestopedia
The language teaching method known as Suggestopedia provides some valuable insights into the power of cognition and creating/employing techniques that make students feel comfortable and relaxed, and "suggestible" to the material being learned.
Unfortunately it does not provide for the majority of language teaching environments teachers typically encounter. The dim lighting, large comfortable chairs and music selections are not readily available to the majority of schools, and these environmental factors are certainly close to impossible for very large classes. As with other methods, it does not take account of the fact that many learners in many countries do not necessarily bring an intrinsic desire to learn the language into their English lessons, and its basic foundations in cognitive theory in some ways limit it as a method to the realm of adult learning.
Still, many teachers can relate to many of the basic principles of the approach. Playing soft music to make students relax, making classrooms as comfortable as possible for students within the constraints imposed by space and budget considerations, having them assume new target language identities, employing role-playing activities, and decorating the classroom with peripheral aids to learning. In my opinion, these are the things that can be taken from the Suggestopedia method and effectively combined with more effective language teaching techniques specific to the students we find in various learning situations.
Something I have taken from Suggestopedia and experimented with extensively in terms of teaching young learners has been the concept that communication takes place on "two planes" - the conscious and the subconscious. Suggestopedia suggests that on the conscious plane, learners attend to the language itself and the linguistic message encoded therein. On the subconscious plane are factors influencing this linguistic message, such as the physical enviroment and various background ways to make the students relax and feel that the learning process is as easy, natural and stress-free as possible.
Objectives
The prime objective of Suggestopedia is to tap into more of students' mental potential to learn, in order to accelerate the process by which they learn to understand and use the target language for communication. Four factors considered essential in this process were the provision of a relaxed and comfortable learning enviroment, the use of soft Baroque music to help increase alpha brain waves and decrease blood pressure and heart rate, "desuggestion" in terms of the pyschological barriers learners place on their own learning potential, and "suggestibility" through the encouragement of learners assuming "child-like" and/or new roles and names in the target language.
Key Features
Here are some of the key features of Suggestopedia:
(1) Learning is facilitated in an environment that is as comfortable as possible, featuring soft
cushioned seating and dim lighting.
(2) "Peripheral" learning is encouraged through the presence in the learning environment of posters
and decorations featuring the target language and various grammatical information.
(3) The teacher assumes a role of complete authority and control in the classroom.
(4) Self-perceived and psychological barriers to learners' potential to learn are "desuggested".
(5) Students are encouraged to be child-like, take "mental trips with the teacher" and assume new
roles and names in the target language in order to become more "suggestible".
(6) Baroque music is played softly in the background to increase mental relaxation and potential to
take in and retain new material during the lesson.
(7) Students work from lengthy dialogs in the target language, with an accompanying translation into
the students' native language.
(8) Errors are tolerated, the emphasis being on content and not structure. Grammar and vocabulary
are presented and given treatment from the teacher, but not dwelt on.
(9) Homework is limited to students re-reading the dialog they are studying - once before they go to
sleep at night and once in the morning before they get up.
(10) Music, drama and "the Arts" are integrated into the learning process as often as possible.
Unfortunately it does not provide for the majority of language teaching environments teachers typically encounter. The dim lighting, large comfortable chairs and music selections are not readily available to the majority of schools, and these environmental factors are certainly close to impossible for very large classes. As with other methods, it does not take account of the fact that many learners in many countries do not necessarily bring an intrinsic desire to learn the language into their English lessons, and its basic foundations in cognitive theory in some ways limit it as a method to the realm of adult learning.
Still, many teachers can relate to many of the basic principles of the approach. Playing soft music to make students relax, making classrooms as comfortable as possible for students within the constraints imposed by space and budget considerations, having them assume new target language identities, employing role-playing activities, and decorating the classroom with peripheral aids to learning. In my opinion, these are the things that can be taken from the Suggestopedia method and effectively combined with more effective language teaching techniques specific to the students we find in various learning situations.
Something I have taken from Suggestopedia and experimented with extensively in terms of teaching young learners has been the concept that communication takes place on "two planes" - the conscious and the subconscious. Suggestopedia suggests that on the conscious plane, learners attend to the language itself and the linguistic message encoded therein. On the subconscious plane are factors influencing this linguistic message, such as the physical enviroment and various background ways to make the students relax and feel that the learning process is as easy, natural and stress-free as possible.
Objectives
The prime objective of Suggestopedia is to tap into more of students' mental potential to learn, in order to accelerate the process by which they learn to understand and use the target language for communication. Four factors considered essential in this process were the provision of a relaxed and comfortable learning enviroment, the use of soft Baroque music to help increase alpha brain waves and decrease blood pressure and heart rate, "desuggestion" in terms of the pyschological barriers learners place on their own learning potential, and "suggestibility" through the encouragement of learners assuming "child-like" and/or new roles and names in the target language.
Key Features
Here are some of the key features of Suggestopedia:
(1) Learning is facilitated in an environment that is as comfortable as possible, featuring soft
cushioned seating and dim lighting.
(2) "Peripheral" learning is encouraged through the presence in the learning environment of posters
and decorations featuring the target language and various grammatical information.
(3) The teacher assumes a role of complete authority and control in the classroom.
(4) Self-perceived and psychological barriers to learners' potential to learn are "desuggested".
(5) Students are encouraged to be child-like, take "mental trips with the teacher" and assume new
roles and names in the target language in order to become more "suggestible".
(6) Baroque music is played softly in the background to increase mental relaxation and potential to
take in and retain new material during the lesson.
(7) Students work from lengthy dialogs in the target language, with an accompanying translation into
the students' native language.
(8) Errors are tolerated, the emphasis being on content and not structure. Grammar and vocabulary
are presented and given treatment from the teacher, but not dwelt on.
(9) Homework is limited to students re-reading the dialog they are studying - once before they go to
sleep at night and once in the morning before they get up.
(10) Music, drama and "the Arts" are integrated into the learning process as often as possible.
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