1. ELT 213 APPROACHES TO ELT I Desuggestopedia WEEK 7
Assist. Prof.Dr. Seden Eraldemir Tuyan

2. Desuggestopedia (Lazanov)
An affective-humanistic approach (respect for students’ feelings)
According to Lazanov:
Learning occurs at a much faster rate than it appears
But psychological barriers make learning ineffective
Fear of being unable to perform
Fear of limited ability to learn
Fear of failure

3. Lazarov believes that we use only 5 to 10% of our mental capacity
To make better use of our capacity, the limitations should be ‘desuggested’
Desuggestion: overcoming the barriers to learning
Desuggestion helps students eliminate
the feeling that they cannot be successful
negative associations they may have toward studying

4. Diane larsen freeman
Introduction: ture=related
First concert reading/decoding/activation: 7Rw0mZa7pE&feature=related

5. Observations and Principles
Observation 1: The classroom is bright and colorful
Principle: Learning is facilitated in comfort
Observation 2: Lots of posters in the room (some containing grammatical information)
Principle: Peripheral learning is valued: encouraging learners to be engaged in self-learning through indirect techniques.

6. Observation 3. Teacher speaks confidently.
Principle: Students must respect and trust the teacher’s authority, which will help them retain information
Observation 4. Teacher gives the impression that learning the target language is easy and enjoyable.
Principle: The teacher “desuggests” the barriers: L2 learning is fun.

7. Observation 5: Students choose new names and identities.
Principle: Students’ imagination is activated: new identity increases feeling of security and helps them be open. There will be less inhibition since they will feel like a different person.
Observation 6: Students introduce themselves to the teacher.
Principle: The dialog that they learn includes the language they can use immediately.

8. Observation 7: They play rhythmic instruments as they sing a song.
Principle: Songs are helpful to
free the speech muscles
evoke positive feelings
Observation 8. Teacher gives a lengthy handout.
Principle: The lessons indirectly enhance positive suggestions (there is no limit to what you can do)

9. Observation 9: Teacher briefly explains few points about English grammar and vocabulary, which are in bold print in the dialog.
Principle: Grammar and vocab are presented and explained but not in detail. Relationship between the whole and the parts is important: bold prints help students shift from the whole text to details
Observation 10: Some reproductions of classical paintings are displayed in the text.
Principle: Fine art provides positive suggestions

10. Observation 11: the text: left column--dialogue in the target language; right column--native language translation
Principle: Meaning can be made clear through translation
Observation 12: Teacher reads the dialogue by matching her voice to the rhythm and intonation of the music.
Principle: Double planes:
linguistic message is the conscious level (learner encodes the message by attending to it);
music is the subconscious level (factors affect the linguistic message: music suggests that learning is easy).
When there is a unity between conscious and subconscious, learning is enhanced.

11. Observation 13: Teacher reads the texts again with another music.
Principle: To overcome the barriers, a calm atmosphere should be created (listening to a concert)
Observation 14: Homework is to read the dialogue at night or in the morning.
Principle: Distinction between conscious and subconscious is most blurred then, so learning can occur.

12. Observation 15: Students wear different hats for different characters.
Principle: Dramatization and fantasy reduce the barriers to learning.
Observation 16: Students audition for a play.
Principle: Fine arts enable suggestions to reach the subconscious.

13. Observation 17: Various activities involving the dialogue are done (question- and-answer, repetition, translation)
Principle: Materials Ss have been exposed to should be activated. Novelty (through various activities) is necessary for acquisition
Observation 18: Teacher teaches a children’s song.
Principle: Infantalization is the key factor. A childlike attitude (open) to learning helps a lot. Trusting teacher will help this be reached more easily.

14. Observation 19: A question-and-answer game is played.
Principle: Students’ attention is off the form (structure) and on communication. Learning is fun.
Observation 20: Teacher corrects the error in a soft voice.
Principle: Errors are corrected gently, not directly.

15. Reviewing the Principles
Goals of the Ts:
To accelerate the process of learning a foreign language for everyday communication. Thus, they desuggest the psychological barriers and try to activate the ‘paraconscious’ part of the mind, which is just below the fully-conscious mind.
Role of Ts & Ss:
T is the authority
Students must trust and respect her/him: if they trust the teacher, they can be more responsive to her/his desuggesting; thus they will feel more secure and be less inhibited.

16. Characteristics of teaching/learning process:
Peripheral learning: poster displaying grammatical info are all around the room
Ss create biographies through new identities
Texts are lengthy and have the translation
Double Plane
First Phase/ Presenting the dialogue (receptive phase):
In the first (active) concert, teacher’s voice (reading the dialogue) is synchronized with the music;
Thus, both left and right hemisphere (whole brain) are activated.
Ss follow the text and also check translation.
In the second (passive) concert Ss listen calmly, and the teacher reads at a normal speed.
Second phase (activation phase): various activities
Homework is reading the dialogue at night and in the morning.

17. Nature of interaction:
T-initiated with whole Ss and individuals
Ss-initiation may come later
Students’ Feelings:
If Ss feel relaxed and confident, they will learn easily
Psychological barriers should be desuggested
Choosing a new identity helps them feel more secure
Language/culture viewed:
Language is the first plane; factors influencing the linguistic messages are the second plane
Culture concerns everyday life of people. Use of fine arts is important

18. Areas of lang. emphasized:
Vocab is emphasized.
Grammar teaching is explicit but minimal: conscious attention is on using the language, not on the forms, and paraconscious mind will then absorb the linguistic rules.
Speaking communicatively is emphasized.
Reading (dialogues) and writing (imaginative compositions) in target language are also important.
Role of L1:
Native-language translation is used to make the meaning clear.
Native lang is used when necessary
Over time, T. uses native lang. less and less

19. Evaluation:
Ss’ class performance is evaluated, not through formal tests (formal tests threaten the relaxed atmosphere)
Error correction:
Errors are corrected gently, with the teacher using a soft voice.

20. Techniques
Classroom Set up: bright and cheerful classroom: soft music, cushioned armchairs, posters on the walls, etc.
Peripheral Learning: Posters, lists, charts, texts, paintings, and graphs are hung on the walls of the classroom. Students learn from these although their attentions are not directly on these materials.

21. Choose a new identity: choosing a new name and occupation, and by the end, they will develop a biography about their fictional selves.
Role-play: to pretend that they were someone else.
Positive Suggestion: helping Ss break down the barriers
Direct Suggestion: (consciousness) The teacher tells students they are going to be successful to create self-confidence
Indirect Suggestion: (subconcsious) This is provided by music and comfortable physical conditions of the classroom

22. Techniques for Receptive Phase
First concert: teacher’s voice (reading the dialogue) is synchronized with the music; thus, both left and right hemisphere (whole brain) are activated. Ss follow the text and also check translation.
Second Concert: Students put their scripts aside. Students close their eyes and listen as the teacher reads with musical accompaniment. This time the content which is read by the teacher is emphasised by the way the teacher reads the text. Music is secondarily important

23. Techniques for Activation Phase
Primary activation: Students read the dialogue in the target language out loud, as individuals or groups. They read it sadly, angrily, etc.
Secondary activation: Students engage in various activities such as singing, dancing, dramatising, and playing games. Linguistic forms are not important. Communication is important. In order to make students focus on communication, activities are varied.

24. REVIEW

25. Theory of Language
Method communication is a two-plane process: language and linguistic message.
Role of the Students
To be childlike, participate in the activities, trust and respect the Teacher. Moreover, Ss should be relaxed following teacher’s instructions.
Role of the Teachers
To provide feeling of security for students eliminating the barriers to learning; increase their communicative ability.
Role of the content
To seem enjoyable and easy (vocabulary, grammar and speaking).
Role of the objectives
To help students to learn to use a foreign language for everyday communication.
Role of the activities
To carry out creative adaptation.
Role of the methodology
Desuggest the Students ‘s limitation in learning
Role of the assessment
To check students’ knowledge in-class- performances.
Role of the materials and resources
To engage learning by lowering the affective filter of students.

26. Evaluation
Evaluation is conducted on students' "in-class-performances" and not through formal tests, which would threaten the relaxed atmosphere, which is considered essential for accelerated learning.
Interactions
St-st” and “T-st” interactions occur. Students often do "pair work" and "group work".
Vocabulary Teaching
Vocabulary is emphasised. Claims about the success of the method often focus on the large number of words that can be acquired. Comments and explanations about the meanings can be provided in student's L1
Grammar Teaching
Grammar is taught explicitly but minimally. Explicit grammar rules are provided in L1.
Skills
Oral communication is emphasised. Speaking and listening are important. Writing and reading are also important.