Suggestopaedia as Method by Lozanov



During over fifty years, i.e. the whole period of existence of the term of suggestopaedia, all the people wishing to learn the true meaning of the term face the problems and questions. It was introduced for the first time in Bulgarian in 1966 in the article called “Suggestopaedia — a way to hypermnesia in learning” published in the journal “Narodna Prosvjeta”, further it was applied in English in 1967 within the Proceedings of the International Psychosomatic Week. After the publishing of this new term, the author created unwillingly many difficulties for himself since there was not any traditional stable meaning, so he had to explain it all the time, moreover, after the publishing of the primary research, he had not any opportunity to explain the true meaning of the term in a more understandable way. So now we will do our best to explain something more.

Suggestopaedia is a training system, which use all the possibilities that can be offered through the suggestion. Of course, it does not neglect the systematic academic participation, but it is always in accordance with the suggestive method. The first experiment directed to the memorizing of one thousand French words during one day was merely a memorization experiment. It served as a basis for the development of the suggestopaedic methodology. The first suggestopaedic courses following the experiment marked the beginning of the methodology development. Three stages in training of new lesson, which were recognized then, underwent only slight modifications; below they are presented:

1. Deciphering. This was the first stage of each lesson. The teacher explained to the students the content of the lesson in the classical way, i.e. the students recognized the new vocabulary, the grammar and some peculiarities, and they achieved some speaking skills.

2. Memorization stage. At that time, the researchers thought that hypermnesia was due to that particular stage, as it was the first experiment directed to the memorization of one thousand French words. Afterwards the experiments showed that such a memorization takes part on each stage of training, so the stage was divided into two parts: the active phase and the passive one. During the active phase, the teacher read a huge bulk of the text in the foreign language completely while the students followed actively in the textbook; that was the reason why this phase was called active. The students repeated each new word three times.

Below let us present some basic differences between approaches of suggestopaedia and of the other methods.

Classical art now is an integral part of suggestopaedic and de-suggestive training. In due course, its educational impact only enhances, and this is the last, but not least place, where ethics in relationships lies.

It is wrong to consider the suggestopaedia as a methodology of foreign language training only. In some experimental Bulgarian schools, all the subjects were taught suggestopaedically, i.e. the children learned the Bulgarian alphabet and were able to read forty words only based on their peripheral perceptions without any necessity to put in any effort. They learned Mathematics through operations, which were composed specially for the purpose. The children liked Mathematics and showed remarkably high grades. Such subjects as Geography, History, etc. were also learned very easily. The other suggestopaedic methodologies demand also a special qualification on the part of the teacher.

There are a number of major differences between the approaches of suggestopaedia and the other traditional methods. Suggestopaedia releases the reserves of the mind: deprogramming and de-suggestion become free from any guided techniques in training and from the hypnotic limitations as well, de-suggestion become also free from the limiting of social suggestive norms) being constantly committed to the following:

1. The principle of golden mean is known for centuries as the greatest harmony in nature. Being mentioned by Euclid in the 3^rd century BC, it was further elaborated by schools of Plato and Pythagoras. Leonardo da Vinci illustrated a whole book about the golden mean, which was published in Venice in 1509. The golden mean is everywhere: in the structure of minerals, flowers, animals, monuments, the human body and the cosmos. The golden mean exists in the structure of Suggestopaedia (de-suggestive training) as well. However, we think, it is needless to comment on the significance of this fact, as it is clear that it surpasses any didactic requirement of a certain methodology.

2. Multiple personality. Other methods also pay attention to psychological factors. However,during the training process they do not observe the expressions of multiple personality. One changes constantly emotionally, thus logically.

It should be noted that use of suggestopaedic method for linguistic training is only a tip of the iceberg. Usually, foreign language teachers tend to react to passive knowledge quite negatively. Moreover, they dismiss in annoyance the mere existence of passive knowledge. This is not to say that all teachers do it, but a great number still do. On the contrary, we welcome the passive knowledge as warmly as the active one. Because the passive vocabulary and grammar are much more interesting to us than the active ones. Passive knowledge are extremely useful with the following language activities:

1. Passive knowledge of vocabulary and grammar makes possible early reading of appropriate texts.
2. Passive knowledge of vocabulary and grammar makes possible quite early communication in a quite broad range. The limited capacity of statements making with the use of active vocabulary and grammar is compensated for through a multiple increase in comprehension due to this discovery, which broaden forth communicative methods beyond the training according to a sort of “phrase book”, when a strictly worded question elicits a strictly worded answer, which should be memorized actively. Then in case when the question is asked differently, not in the way it can be found in the “phrase book”, it cannot be understood, thus no answer follows. However, we do not reject the passive knowledge as useless or even “detrimental”, we facilitate the communication through comprehension, and this improves additionally the self-confidence and enhances the motivation.
3. The third reason for welcoming passive knowledge as willingly as the active ones is rooted in the psycho-physiological fact that the path to the active knowledge goes most often through the passive ones. In addition, it should be remembered that with the discontinuation of language training or lack of opportunities to practice the foreign language, the active vocabulary and grammar merge gradually into the passive ones. Besides, there are a number of levels of passivity going down to partial or total forgetfulness.

References

1. OS Adrianov. Regarding the principles of organization of cortical inputs. In: Structural and functional mechanisms of cortical integration. Gorky: Publishing house of USSR Academy of medical sciences; 1976.
2. B Arushanyan, Y Belozertsev. Medicamental psychostimulation. Pharmacology and toxicology. 1978;(6)61:645-660.
3. VM Bekhterev. Regarding the localization of conscious activity of animals and humans. Saint Petersburg; 1896.
4. LA Bliznichenko. Input and retention of information in human memory during the natural sleep. Kyiv; 1966.
5. V Danilevsky. Hypnotism. Kharkiv; 1924.
6. D Kolarova, P Balevsky. Impact of suggestopaedical foreign language training on functional statement of neurotic persons. Problems of Suggestology. Sofia; 1973.
7. LR Zenkov. New approaches within the clinical neurology. Soviet medicine. 1976;11:43-45.
8. Richard von Krafft-Ebing. Hypnotic experiments. Kharkiv; 1927.
9. G Lozanov. Suggestion. In: Guideline for psychiatric therapy edited by E Sharankov, G Lozanov, I Petrov and A Atanasov. Sofia; 1968.
10. G Lozanov. Questions of hypnotic suggestion. Modern medicine. 1955;9;71