Desuggestopedia

Before I move on to the next method, I would like to remind that teachers should incorporate creativity in using the different kinds of teaching methods. They have to be carefully in choosing the appropriate method as the means of transferring the knowledge, because they may find different situation and different students in the classroom. 

Introduction to Desuggestopedia 

History & Theory 

• This method was founded by Bulgarian Psychiatrist- Educator Georgi Lozanov in the 1978. 
• It is also known as the affective-humanistic approach, an approach which has there is a respect for students feelings (Social Psychology)
• Learning deficiency comes from the 3 psychological barriers to learning 
• fear of failure limits our success in learning 

Meaning 

Suggest => desuggest 

"Desuggestopedia" is to eliminate the negative feeling(we do not use full mental powers) &  "Suggestopedia" is to reinforce positive learning. 

Classroom set-up 

The main principles of Desuggestopedia 

In the atmosphere of 'play', the conscious attention of the learner does not focus on linguistic forms, but using the language. Teacher should be present and explain the grammar and vocabulary. The meaning is made clear with native language translation. The dialog used for students to learn contains the language they use immediately. 

Communication takes place on 'two planes', where one is based on the linguistic message being encoded, while the other are factors that influence the linguistic message. Another way to put in, the learner attends to the language on the conscious plane, while music proposed that learning is easy and pleasant 

Students can learn from what is present in the environment, even if their attention is not directed to 'Peripheral learning'. This learning is that people perceive much more in our environment than which people consciously attend. 

Dramatization is a meaningful way for students to playfully activating the material

Fine arts which incorporates music, art and drama gives suggestions which allow students to enable suggestions to reach the subconscious. One of the ways the students mental reserves are stimulated in through the integration of the fine arts music, drama or paintings 

Students can learn from what is present in the environment, even if their attention is not directed to it (‘Peripheral learning’).  Peripheral learning is that people perceive much more in our environment than that to which people consciously attend.  Dramatization is a valuable way of playfully activating the material. 

Fine arts(music, art, and drama) provides positive suggestions for students and enable suggestions to reach the subconscious.  One of the ways the students’ mental reserves are stimulated is through integration of the fine arts-music, drama, or paintings.

Errors are corrected gently and indirectly.  The teacher gives the students the impression that learning is easy and enjoyable in order to make students enjoying in their learning.  Therefore, the teacher should help the students ‘activate’ the material to which they have been exposed and integrate indirect positive suggestions into the learning situation.

 Characteristics of the Teaching Process 

Classroom atmosphere- decorations and posters 

                                                                

• A new name and occupation- to dispel the anxiety 
• Handout for advanced students 
• No test, no assignment 
• Conversation with translation in music- to activate the 'whole brain' of the students 
• Games, Songs, and Role Plays helps in strengthening the classroom materials 

 

   Goals of the Teacher 

• To accelerate the process of learning a foreign language for daily communication 
• To desuggest learners psychological barriers 

Teachers and Students Role 

                            

Two main roles for a teacher who uses this method

• Authority : Teacher is seen as being confident and trustworthy 
• Security : Teacher provides a cheerful classroom environment 

Two main roles for a students 

• Students may relax and tends to follows the teacher's instruction easily 
• Students tend to enjoy doing role plays, and able to enjoy their new identity freely 

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Desuggestopedia 

Desuggestopedia is like  other methods that has its own advantages and disadvantages 

• Advantages

          Authority Concept. Students will remember best and are most influenced by information coming from an authoritative source, teachers. 

          Double- planedness theory is based to learning from two aspects. They are the conscious aspect and the subconscious one. Students can gain the aim of the teaching instruction from both direct instruction and environment in which the teaching take place

          Peripheral learning can also help to encourage students to be more experimental, and look to the sources other than the teacher for language input. For instance, students can make some  sentences using the grammatical structure placed in the walls of the classroom. For example, students describe a particular place in an English Speaking Country by looking at the poster wall. When there is more of these self activities cater for these students, hence their confidence level will arise. 

• Disadvantages 

Environment limitation. Most schools in developing countries have large classes. Each classes consist of 30 to 40 students. One of the problems faced in using this method is the number of students who do not like to be treated as they matured. 

In the Desuggestopedia, vocabulary is focused heavily, grammar has been taught explicitly and Ozlemguner, 2013 stated that communication is emphasized. 

Suggestions for English Teachers in using this method

Teaching speaking for young language learners using suggestopedia is not easy especially in the countries, which the education level is low. It needs a professional and experienced teacher, very few working teachers are in a position where they can use this system. The teachers should take more training in using this 'suggestopedia' in the classroom. 

Here are some suggestions by the author Suryo(2009)

1. Teacher show absolute confidence in the method 

2. Teacher show a solemn attitude towards the session

3. Teacher provide tests and respond tactfully to poor papers 

Here is a You Tube Link on Diane Larsen- Freeman on Desuggestopedia 

http://youtu.be/3rkrvRlty5M

This video shows hat materials need to be varied, activated and should be use for repetition. Teacher use dramatization, follow by music to tell a story. Students will remember their vocabulary through actions. As what Diane Larsen- Freeman says " With desuggestopedia , Fantasy do reduce barriers in learning and dictation used as a playful atnosphere. Learning can be fun! :) :)

Conclusion

Summarising the interesting method we can say that it is very useful in the effective approach of gaining English because it improves the speaking skill of students eliminating those barriers that do not allow them to communicate effectively. From my point of view, this method can be used to teach many schools but it would be difficult to many teachers to accept this teaching method . When students go for their music classes, I think it will be acceptable if music teachers replaced music with natural and soothing sounds like Mozart or Beethoven symphony to make the students relax. The benefit for teachers in using this method is that it suits all ages with choosing the proper subjects and natural sounds to apply it in a good way. Teachers should know this method very well and the usefulness of this method is that it pay more attention to students feelings and learn its principles before using. As a teacher, I think I will consider in using "Desuggestopedia" as one of my teaching methods to carry out fun, meaningful and exciting activities with the children. 

          References 

Ozlemguner.(2013. Marzo 28). slideshare. Retrieved November 26, 2014, from http://www.slideshare.net/ozlemguner/desuggestopedia-17826734

Suryo,A.(2009, April 15). suggestopedia as a method for teaching speaking for young learners in a second language classroom. Retrieved November 26, 2014, from suggestopedia as a method for teaching speaking for young learners in a second language classroom.