Katerina Vodesilova - Alternative Teaching Methods in Teaching English (2) NO ES MAESTRIA PERO TIENE TEMAS IMPORTANTES

MASARYK UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF EDUCATION
Department of English Language and Literature
Alternative teaching methods in

teaching English
Bachelor Thesis
Brno 2013
Supervisor: Author:
doc. Mgr. Světlana Hanušová, Ph.D. Kateřina Vodešilová
Declaration
I declare that I worked on this thesis on my own and used only the sources mentioned
in the list of references.
I agree with the storing of this work in the library of the Faculty of Education at the
Masaryk University in Brno and making it accessible for study purposes.
……………………………..
Brno, April 2013 Kateřina Vodešilová
2
Acknowledgements:
I would like to thank my supervisor, doc. Mgr. Světlana Hanušová, Ph.D., for her valuable
advice, kind guidance and for supporting my own choice of the topic for the Bachelor thesis.
I am also grateful to my bosses and colleagues of Hampson language school who gave me
the opportunity to experience teaching in the intensive language courses in Ptýrov and
inspired me a lot in my work.
3
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................6
Theoretical Part.........................................................................................................................8
1. Suggestopedia and its modern version Superlearning.......................................................8
1.1. The History and Theory of Suggestopedia...................................................................8
1.2. Suggestopedia or Superlearning...............................................................................10
1.3. Characteristics of Suggestopedia..............................................................................10
1.4. Main Phases of Suggestopedia..................................................................................16
1.5. The human brain.......................................................................................................20
1.6. See, Hear, Feel – Different Learning Styles................................................................22
2. Experiential learning........................................................................................................23
2.1. Experiential learning.................................................................................................23
PRACTICAL PART......................................................................................................................26
Introduction.............................................................................................................................26
3. Suggestopedia and experiential learning in practice........................................................27
3.1. General course description.......................................................................................27
3.2. Learning environment...............................................................................................28
3.3. The role of the students............................................................................................30
3.4. Teaching Methods.....................................................................................................32
3.5. Typical programme....................................................................................................33
3.6. Learning by playing...................................................................................................35
3.7. Activities....................................................................................................................36
3.7.1. Who am I?..............................................................................................................36
3.7.2. Find your perfect partner.......................................................................................38
3.7.3. Task hunt................................................................................................................39
4
3.7.4. An alphabet race....................................................................................................40
3.7.5. Gamble!.................................................................................................................41
3.8. Evaluation of the course............................................................................................43
3.8.1. Introduction...........................................................................................................43
3.8.2. Research method...................................................................................................43
3.8.3. Respondents..........................................................................................................44
3.8.4. Analysis of the results............................................................................................44
Conclusion...............................................................................................................................52
References:..............................................................................................................................53
Appendices..............................................................................................................................56
Appendix 1: Questionnaire......................................................................................................56
Appendix 2: Photos..................................................................................................................60
5
Introduction
My bachelor thesis is focused on two alternative methods of teaching English called
Suggestopedia and experiential learning. It the theoretical part of this thesis I include all the
important facts about these methods. In the practical part I describe how these methods are
put down to practice and what the outcome is.
The importance of learning foreign languages in todays ‘world has increased greatly. It
is absolutely necessary to know at least one foreign language and I dare to say that due to the
world globalisation, English has become the main international language. It is used worldwide
in various spheres such as politics, tourism, work and even entertainment.
In consequence to our modern and fast way of life, it is highly desirable to learn a
language as soon as possible. Therefore, several methods and approaches of learning
languages have been developed. Among them can be also found the method called
Suggestopedia. Besides promising fast acquisition of a language without a great effort, it also
supports students to experience successful learning with joy.
Although this method evokes some level of scepticism and negative feelings among
critics, positive responses full of enthusiasm still predominate. I came across these positive
reactions in various materials that I studied for composing this bachelor thesis. However, me
as a teacher, I mostly evaluate that they also come from learners who participated in courses
where Suggestopedia is applied. That is also one of the main reasons why I devote the first
part of the theoretical part of my bachelor thesis to this method.
Moreover, during my teaching experience, I have learned that even adult learners long
for interesting lessons full of enjoyable activities. This can besides Suggestopedia ensure also
another alternative method called experiential learning. Therefore, I describe the most
6
important features of this method in the second part of the theoretical part of this bachelor
thesis.
Since I have been actively teaching in intensive courses where both adapted version of
Suggestopedia and experiential learning are applied, in the practical part, I provide a
description of such courses and their evaluation.
The main reason for choosing the topic “alternative methods of teaching English” was
that I would like to rise the awareness of the existence of much more beneficial and enjoyable
ways how to teach a foreign language than are usually employed in traditional learning
environments.
7
Theoretical Part
“Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot
do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On
the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it
even if I may not have it at the beginning.”
MAHÁTMA GANDHÍ
1. Suggestopedia and its modern version Superlearning
1.1. The History and Theory of Suggestopedia
Suggestopedia, also called Dessugestopedia, is a teaching method which was
developed by Bulgarian doctor and psychiatrist Dr George Lozanov in 1970’s. This method is
applied mostly in foreign language learning. It can be found included also in approaches
called ‘accelerating learning’, as many proponents of this method are convinced that by using
this method students can learn approximately three to five times quicker than by other
conventional teaching methods (John Welford). Kurt Tepperwein supports this claim by
saying that “by using Lozanov’s method, it is possible to learn about one thousand and eight
hundred words a day”. Furthermore, he says that some scientific researches proved that in
suggestopedic classes “in theory, it is possible to learn up to five hundred words a day and in a
very short time, acquire vocabulary of about three thousand words” (147-148)1.
On the contrary, Bertha Leiva contend that human brain has some limitation and therefore,
learning “too much, too fast, won`t last” (14).
1
Own translation of Czech
8
John Welford also explains this method to be “based on a modern understanding of
how the human brain works and how we learn most effectively” (Suggestopedia). According
to Lozanov people use only about 15% of their mental capacity. However, when using his
method it is possible to increase this greatly. As Lozanov himself says “one of the most
important tasks of Suggestopedy has been to free, to desuggest and to explain to all students
that human capacities are much greater than expected, and to provide liberating-stimulating
methods to bring these ‘locked-up’ human resources into play” (257).
The origins of Suggestopedia go back to the 50’s and 60’s of the last century when
Lozanov made some investigation of sleep and hypnosis. He used Suggestopedia in some
sections of medicine, especially for soothing pain during operations. Inspired by his
achievements he concluded that if it is possible to carry out painless operations, it should as
well be possible to painlessly acquire new knowledge. Moreover, he observed that relaxed
state of a human is associated with better concentration (Maier, Weberová 58)2.
The name of the method derives from the word ‘suggestion’ which means to propose,
inspire, encourage, and the word ‘pedagogy’ which is defined in Cambridge learner’s
dictionary as “the study of the methods and activities of teaching”.(915) Diane Larsen-
Freeman also writes that: “Desuggestopedia, the application of the study of suggestion to
pedagogy, has been developed to help students eliminate the feeling that they cannot be
successful of the negative association they may have toward studying and, thus, to help them
overcome the barriers to learning” (73). Therefore, in Suggestopedia it is crucial that students
learn in an absolutely friendly and safe environment.
1.2. Suggestopedia or Superlearning
In Felix Uschi`s thesis, readers come upon an explanation of the term Superlearning:
“To describe Superlearning accurately as a method is not easy. There are problems in
2
Own translation from Czech
9
organising the material since Superlearning is often used simply as a synonym for
Suggestopedia“ (Superlearning 2.4.). Likewise, from Vendula Obrovská’s thesis, we can learn
that:
The name of the method called Superlearning comes from a book of the same name
which was written by two American journalists Sheila Ostrander and Lynn
Schroeder. They intended to write about the concept of Suggestopedia but named
the book by a more catchy title. Although they used various facts from different
scientific fields, they claimed that they come from Lozanov’s researches. Their
work caused more harm to Lozanov`s method as the ‘techniques of Superlearning’
did not apparently really work. The principle of Superlearning was self-study based
on listening to audio-tapes, whilst in Lozanov`s method one of the main and
essential principle is the role of the teacher. We can say that Suggestopedia without
the presence of the teacher would not work successfully. (40) 3
1.3. Characteristics of Suggestopedia
It is generally believed that the more pleasant environment is provided, the more
successful is students’ learning and achievements. Consequently, it is necessary to create a
positive atmosphere and environment where students feel comfortable and safe to learn. Some
of the most important characteristics of Suggestopedia are the peripheral learning, bright
decoration and arrangement of the classroom, the use of music, the personality of the teacher,
positive suggestion, ‘infantilization’, relaxation.
Let me describe each of the characteristics in detail:
 Peripheral learning and classroom decoration
Everything in the classroom should be bright and colourful with windows and natural
daylight. To evoke the English environment, there should be posters with scenes from some
3
10
English speaking country and some which contain grammatical information. This could be
conjugation of the verb ‘to be’, or a list of irregular verbs. Larsen-Freeman also emphasizes
that posters displaying grammatical information help students to take advantage of peripheral
learning. This supports the learners to learn not only from direct instructions but also from the
surrounding environment (78). Arif Suryo Priyatmojo in his thesis comments on peripheral
learning as follows:
Peripheral information can also help encourage students to be more experimental,
and look to sources other than the teacher for language input. For example, the
students can make some sentences using the grammatical structure placed on the
classroom’s wall, describe a particular place in an English speaking country by
looking at the poster on the wall, etc. When the students are successful in doing
such self-activities, they will be more confident. (7)
On the contrary, Christian Maier and Marion Weberová argue that posters with text
that are displayed for a longer period drives learner`s attention to studying away (110) 4. It is
also important to include Tom Spencer`s citation of Schmidt who asserts that “material that is
attended peripherally could never be encoded in longer term memory” (7).
 Classroom arrangement:
The classroom arrangement also contrasts from the traditional classrooms where the
desks are usually in rows. Lozanov uses comfortable large chairs that are arranged into a
circle or semi-circle so that the students and the teacher sit at the same level. This type of
sitting allows all the students and the teacher face each other and communicate as a whole
class as well as in pairs. The space in the middle can be used for physical activities that are
equally important elements of this method.
4
11
 Music
One of the most unique techniques in Suggestopedia is playing background music
during the whole learning session. Lozanov believes that when student`s mind is stress-free
their concentration is much higher and learning is more efficient. Therefore, the selected
music should be calm and not disturbing to help students to feel relaxed and like at a concert.
It should likewise be played at volume when the students can understand the learning material
without any trouble. As Tepperwein points out “the effect music will carry depends on its
structure not on a personal choice” (150)5. According to Lozanov’s recommendation,
Tapperwein (151-152) presents a list of suitable music by the following composers:
 Johann Sebastian Bach
 Georg Friedrich Händel
 Georg Philipp Telemann
 Antonio Vivaldi
There are as many types of music as there are people and each type has different
effect. The choice of music in Suggestopedia depends on the kind of activity. Baroque music
with its 60 beats per minute and its specific rhythm is considered to be the best choice for the
calm period. As Apriana and Islamiyah cite Radle in their theses “it helps the students to reach
a certain state of relaxation, in which the receptivity is increased. The increasing of learning
potential is put down to the increase of alpha brain activity and decrease of blood pressure and
heart rate” (Teaching method). On the other hand, when we need students to be active, we
play more dynamic music. Moreover, music with lyrics is great for learning new vocabulary
and practising pronunciation.

5
12
 The teacher:
S/he is responsible for making the learning environment emotionally free, motivating and
stimulating the students to overcome any learning barriers, and helping them to gain their self
confidence. This can encounter success only if the students respect and trust the teacher
(Obrovská, 51)6. Therefore, Lozanov expects the teacher to have certain behaviour, as
Rodgers and Richards (Approaches and methods…104) list:
1. Show absolute confidence in the method.
2. Display fastidious conduct in manners and dress.
3. Organize properly and strictly observe the initial stages of the teaching.
4. Maintain a solemn attitude toward the session.
5. Give test and respond tactfully to poor papers (if any).
6. Stress global rather than analytical attitudes toward material.
7. Maintain a modest enthusiasm.
Generally speaking, it is essential that the teacher is positive and has the ability to
understand the students’ needs and feelings. Also, a great sense of humour and creativity are
another necessary parts of the teacher’s personality that he or she should posses.
 Positive suggestion
Many people think about learning as something that is really difficult, stressful and that brings
lots of negative feelings. Lozanov indicates three major barriers to learning: “logical-critical”,
“intuitive-affective” and “ethical” (170). For successful learning, it is necessary that these
barriers are removed. In accordance, this method focuses on positive suggestion when
6
13
students believe that they can learn everything they want without stress and other negative
emotions. It starts with creating a positive and safe emotional environment in which students
feel comfortable and confident. It dessugests all the negative feelings and suggests the
positive ones. Positive suggestion helps students to be more self-confident and teaches them
to believe that they can do everything they want (171). Kurt Tepperwein supports this thought
by saying “He who believes that he can, he can!” (51)7.
Lozanov also emphasizes the importance of gentle dealing with mistakes. “Errors are
corrected gently, not in a direct, confrontational manner” (Larsen Freeman, 81).
 Infantilization
Suggestopedia follows an important approach: learning by playing. Christian Maier
and Marion Weberová claim “Learning by the method of Superlearning8 means to play and it
can lead into a situation when learning becomes the concomitant phenomenon of a game”
(10)9. When learning is fun students forget about beating their brains and all negative aspects
disappear. Learning becomes full enjoyment and pleasure.
The use of imagination and creativity, and so called ‘infantilization’ of a student are
other important aspects of this method. “By ‘infantilization’ we mean to bring student’s state
of mind, when they feel like children who are always inquiring and want to know everything”
(Maier, Weberová 53)10.
Lozanov further explains that “‘Infantilization’ does not mean a complete return to
early age periods. It is rather a selective mental setup”. And “life’s experience and one’s
7
8
Here the author leaves the term “Superlearning” as it is used by Marion and Weberová
9
10
14
intellectual abilities are not reduced but rather supplemented by the plastic qualities of the
earlier age periods, since these are liberated to a considerable extend” (199).
To achieve ‘infantilization’, it is unnecessary that in classes is a pleasant atmosphere,
and always predominate trust and insouciance (Maier, Weberová 53)11. Then students can
enjoy playing games, singing and dancing. Likewise, role playing is often applied in
suggestopedic classes so choosing new names and identities helps students a lot. As it is
interpreted in Larsen-Freeman’s words “a new identity enhances student’s feeling of security
and allows them to be more open. They feel less inhibited since their performance is really
that of a different person” (Larsen-Freeman, 78). Lozanov also emphasizes the importance of
a prohibition to reveal students’ real identities even among themselves (281).
 Relaxation:
Nowadays many people are exposed to lots of stress, noise and often lead a hectic
lifestyle; therefore, relaxation is a very important element in learning. It helps to clean the
mind and it can be even more beneficial than sleeping. Relaxation helps students to
concentrate better and improve their imagination and perception. Relaxed mind is well
prepared for acquiring new information.
Criticism
It is believed that all these points mentioned above are the vital key elements for the
method to be successful. However, it is equally important to mention the critical side of some
of them. For instance, many critics pointed out the fact that only a small number of schools
11
15
can afford to equip the educational environment in such an extravagant way. Furthermore,
there is a possibility that some students find classical music rather annoying than relaxing
(Tim Bowen, 1-2). Also, “some people say that Suggestopedia uses hypnosis, so it has bad
deep effects for human beings. Lazanov strongly denied about it” (Apriana, Islamiyah,
Teaching method).
1.4. Main Phases of Suggestopedia
In Suggestopedia it is essential to follow a carefully structured approach (Welford,
Suggestopedia), which Lozanov divides into three major phases “the pre-session phase, the
session phase and the post-session phase” (277).
He further defines the phases as follows:
 The pre-session phase:
In this phase, the desuggestion of negative feelings and suggestion of the positive ones
happen at the same time. Students are invited to relax and they are suggested that the learning
is going to be fun and easy. The new learning material, which usually consists of long dialogs,
is introduced and the teacher helps to decode new vocabulary, deals with the grammar and
answers any questions.
 The session phase:
This phase consists of two parts called ‘an active and a passive concert’. During the
‘active concert’, Lozanov recommends the teachers to recite the text “slowly and solemnly”
16
(278). Students are given also the translation of the original text into their native language
which they can follow accordingly. The second time, during the ‘passive concert’, their books
are closed and they just relax and listen to the teacher, this time reading the text in “a normal
way of speaking” (278). However, Tim Bowen points out the lengths of the dialogs can be
rather demotivating (1-2).
 The post-session phase:
In this phase, students activate the material. They can re-read the dialogs in various
manners and as Larsen-Freeman comments “the students engage in various activities to help
them to learn the new material and use it spontaneously” (85). She also adds that activities
such as games, singing, role-playing and dancing are highly recommended (85).
Consequently, the students practise the target language without really thinking about it.
Let me include an example of a role play stage as written by Arif Suryo Priyatmojo:
1. The teacher greets the students with either English or their native
language and tells them that they will have a new and exciting
experience in language learning.
2. The teacher asks the students to close their eyes and tell them that
they will go to an English speaking country. For example, they are in
an airport. “Now, you are in an airport of America, listen to the
people around you. They are talking with immigration officials”,
said the teacher. The teacher asks them to open their eyes and bring
their awareness to the class. She says,”Welcome to English!”.
3. Then, the teacher tells them that they will have new names and
identities by showing a poster showing English names. The students
17
will pronounce the names by repeating the teacher. The teacher
helps them by doing pantomime to help them understand about their
new identities such as doctor, nurse, police, etc.
4. The teacher greets each student using his name and ask some
questions in English about his occupation. Through her action, the
students understand the meaning and they reply ‘yes’ and ‘no’.
5. The teacher teaches them a short dialogue about greeting in English.
After that, the students will practice. The teacher tells the students
that they are having a party and they have to introduce one another
by their new names and identities.
6. Next, the teacher announces that the class is over and they will have
another exciting activity tomorrow and they do not have homework.
(6)
During the whole course, the students are tested at various phases. At the beginning, “a
test is held to check the level of the students’ knowledge and divide them up into groups
accordingly to the results of the test” (Lozanov, 280). Then at different stages of the course,
they write tests to reassure themselves of their progress they have made. And at the end of the
course, final test is held to see the results in regards to the knowledge they have acquired.
Moreover, the importance of “a tactful attitude towards poor tests” as well as “mistakes” is
stressed (282). Finally, Lozanov describes the last day:
The final performance of a dramatic presentation to show that the students can
make use of the knowledge they have gained. The play is chosen by the students
themselves, but the teacher takes care that it is in accordance with their language
abilities, … (282)
18
It is also necessary to mention that some points in the phases (the pre-session phase,
the session phase and the post-session phase) described above were changed from the original
version. As we can learn in Lozanov’s thesis:
The suggestopedic session was originally divided up into an ‘active’ part and a
‘passive’ or ‘concert’ part. In the active part, the teacher read the new words with
special three-stages intonation. In the concert part of the session, the new lexical
material was read quietly, with pre-classical and classical music playing in the
background. With this variant the students used to be trained in muscle relaxation.
(274)
He further explains that the muscle relaxation was later dropped and only the concert
part of the session retained. Likewise, as the active session did not bring much of a success, it
relinquished as well (274). Similarly, the altered version of Suggestopedia focuses on the
importance to use the various arts, such as music, dancing, singing songs, etc., in the lessons
(Bancroft, 231).
We underrate our brains and intelligence… Learning is the brain’s main
function, its constant concern, and we become restless and frustrated if there is no
learning to be done. We are capable of huge and unsuspected learning accomplishments
without effort.
F. SMITH
1.5. The human brain
As it was already mentioned at the beginning of this thesis, when using Suggestopedia,
it is necessary to understand how the human brain works. It helps teachers to understand how
students learn best and most effectively (Christison, 1)12.
12
19
It is well known that human brain consists of two parts: the left hemisphere and the
right hemisphere. The right hemisphere is responsible for our intuition, fantasy and emotions.
Whilst the logical and analytical thinking as well as speech is located in the left hemisphere.
The objective of all the key elements (relaxation, positive suggestion, music, etc.) used in
Suggestopedia is to engage both hemispheres at the same time which then leads to a better
performance of the brain (Maier, Weberová, 20)13. A great example of a situation when both
hemispheres are involved simultaneously is the classical music being played whilst the
teacher reads the text (Buner, 165). As it was already remarked, the brain capacity is also
much higher when students are relaxed. Equally important is the use of peripheral learning in
Suggestopedia, which employs both brain hemispheres and uses both the conscious and
unconscious mind.
As it was already explained earlier, learning peripherally is when “the learners to learn not
only from direct instructions but also from the surrounding environment” (Larsen-Freeman,
78). Moreover, teacher’s personality, his or hers tone of voice and gestures affect the
unconscious mind as well which influences the learners ability to learn greatly (Bancroft, 40).
In connection to brain performance it is essential to talk also about memory. It is
widely believed that when the environment and the process of learning are connected to
positive emotions, students are more likely to remember what they learn. I already wrote
about all the elements of Suggestopedia which help to succeed in this. I would like to point
out some other facts and add another elements which effect the human’s memory positively.
For instance, as Buner comments during the ‘passive concert’ session when background music
is played, the right hemisphere of the human brain is activated and is able to save the acquired
information into a long-term memory (158). Additionally, very useful as well as highly
popular with students is the use of imagination, for which the right hemisphere is responsible
13
20
(Maier, Weberová, 75)14. When students use their imagination, they use different senses. They
can, for example, hear or even touch the people and things that they see in their fantasy. Maier
and Weberová emphasise that “the more senses are involved, the more real is the scene, and
the more real is the scene the more students will remember the acquired material” (77) 15. I
personally believe that repetition of material and active usage of the learned knowledge help
to longer retention too.
Finally, for optimal brain function, Christison recommends to teachers to prepare
activities that make students move around the class. She notes that “movement and exercise
improve brain functioning by increasing blood flow, and therefore oxygen flow, to the brain,
which helps students to think better” (6)16. In Suggestopedia this is supported by activities
such as dancing, which are implemented during the post-session phase.
1.6. See, Hear, Feel – Different Learning Styles
Every person is an individual and may prefer to learn by a different learning style.
Maier and Weberová in their book about Suggestopedia distinguish three main styles: visual,
audio, and kinaesthetic. It is believed that nobody is purely one type. However, everybody
inclines more to one or the other styles and acquire new information accordingly (31) 17. See
table 1.6. below for details18:
Table 1.6. Different Learning Styles

14
15
16
17
18
Author added some more information about each learning type, which were taken from Andrášik bachelor
theses (15)
21
Learning style Possible learning activities
Visual Look at pictures, think in visual images, use picture dictionaries, paint words,
do jigsaw puzzles, learn from vocabulary cards, watch videos.
Audio Sing and hum, listen to music; study with music playing, play instruments, use
music to remember facts, memorize or create rhymes and lyrics, rewrite a story
to a familiar tune.
Kinaesthetic Move around, role play, have hands on learning, be tactile, dance,
co-operative tasks, painting words, sentences, constructing floor plans,
manipulating words.
As the learning process in Suggestopedia is supported by various visual and audio
aids, as well as physical movement and all the other activities like singing, role playing, etc.,
it can be assumed that it is suitable really for all kinds of learners’ types.
2. Experiential learning
I hear I forget, I see and I remember, I do I understand
CONFUCIUS
2.1. Experiential learning
Some experiments showed that on average, an adult person remembers 20% what they
hear, 30% what they saw, and 50% what they heard and saw. However, they can remember up
to 90% of what they did themselves (Tapperwein, 17)19.
One of the modern methods that are believed to be very effective when learning a
foreign language is through experiential learning. Beard defines experiential learning “as the
19
22
sense-making process of active engagement between the inner world of the person and the
outer world of the environment” (19). He stresses out that the central principal of experiential
learning is to “involve the whole person, through thoughts, feelings and physical activity” (2).
Kohonen adds to involve also “social, cognitive and spiritual aspects of personality” (27). As
Beard suggests, the more senses the learners use and the more are involved in the activity, the
more effectively they are likely to learn (7). Basically, they learn from living the experience
which makes it highly memorable.
From all those assertions above, it can be understood that experiential learning is
based on learning from an experience. Beard further supports this fact by saying that people
can learn not only from past and present experience but also from a future one. Learners are
able to imagine various possible scenarios of the future and thus “minimize the potential for
failure and increase the chance of success” (13). However (Kohonen), it is equally important
to mention that for the experiences to result in learning, it is necessary to engage with them
and reflect on them. “Learning is thus a cyclic process integrating immediate experience,
reflection, abstract conceptualization and action” (Kohonen 27). In learning a foreign
language, to respond to an experience, students at all levels can take part in preparing and
performing theatre plays, preparing individual or group projects on different types of topics
and playing various games involving use of language. For example, vocabulary games bring
lots of success as well as fun.
Moreover, the learning environment has a great impact on the experience. Beard notes
that “experiential learning can take place inside in classrooms or outdoors and in natural or
artificially created environments” (6). He further explains that all the surroundings, even “…
elements, such as darkness and silence …can prove to be very powerful channels to
encourage learning” (6).
23
Additionally, we cannot forget to speak about the teachers who Sonja Knutson
describes as “the facilitators, guides and helpers” (55). They organize the activities, create
positive learning atmosphere and provide students with feedback as well as encouragement
(Beard, 40). As it was mentioned the main tenet in experiential learning is that the whole
person is actively and personally involved in the learning process. To achieve this, Kohonen
emphasizes the importance of the teachers to create meaningful learning tasks. Similarly, he
recommends the students to work in groups as they can benefit from each others’ experiences
greatly (33).
For instance, as Willhem’s explains (quoted by Knutson):
…students learn to help themselves learn, ask for help from each other, and from
the teacher, learn language by using it in real settings, explain what they are
learning, and how they are learning, and grade themselves as a way to measure
their strength and weaknesses. (56)
This is very helpful for students of a foreign language as they not only share their
experiences but also communicate in the language in a natural environment whilst actively
participating together on some projects and other activities. They actually learn the language
by using it.
According to Knutson, the negative point of experiential learning for educators is that
it is time-consuming. The teacher also needs to be well prepared for each project and activity,
as well as be prepared for any unexpected teaching moments (55).
As can be seen from the facts above, Suggestopedia and experiential learning have a
vast number of the main principles and other elements the same.
24
PRACTICAL PART
Introduction
In the theoretical part I described the theory of the two alternative teaching methods
called Suggestopedia and experiential learning. As it was mention in that part, Suggestopedia
deals with different learning styles such as visual, audio and kinaesthetic. Furthermore, it
employs diverse activities such as role plays, dramatization, games, singing, dancing, etc.
Consequently, this method works very well in combination with experiential learning when
students acquire a language by doing also lots of various interesting and enjoyable activities.
I have been teaching in a language school called Hampson. This school specializes in
various intensive courses of English where both of the methods are applied. Since I have been
actively teaching in these courses I devote the practical part of this bachelor thesis to a
description of the courses and its evaluation.
At first, general course description is provided. Secondly, a reader can learn about the
premises and the learning environment where such courses are held. This is followed by
information about the role of learners. The fourth and fifth chapters are devoted to
descriptions of the various techniques that are used in these courses, together with the benefits
25
of experiential learning. In the later chapter, I also include a few examples of activities that
show how experience can be used as a tool for learning a language. These are further
accomplished by feedback. Finally, I provide feedback including evaluation of the courses
which I retrieved from a questionnaire survey carried out among students who participated in
the courses.
3. Suggestopedia and experiential learning in practice
3.1. General course description
Although the main aim is to develop all language skills, Hampson language school
offers various courses during which the learning is focused on different areas of English. In
some, the students concentrate more on acquisition of grammar. In others they focus more on
conversation. Some courses include more sport activities, business English, etc. What ever the
course is focused on, the main target is to learn to use the language and it is done in a very
enjoyable and exciting way.
One of the main points of Suggestopedia is also learning by playing. Therefore, every
day, between lessons and in the evenings more activities and games take place, which activate
the previously acquired grammar and vocabulary. These include various games, individual
and team projects, discussions, presentations, etc. Singing songs in English and playing
various instruments as well as dancing are another significant moments in these courses.
Furthermore, a theatrical play (drama) is practised every day and the last day is devoted to its
performance. Some of the activities are more creative or challenging than others; however the
main point of all of them is to use the language actively and have fun.
During the whole course, there is the English policy, which means that students are
supposed to use English only, even during breaks. This applies to all levels, including
beginners. It may seem to be very difficult, especially at the beginning of the course but
26
students usually get used to it quite quickly. However, if necessary, students can use their
mother tongue to ask for help if they so need.
There are four to twelve learners present at one course. They take an entry test before
the beginning of the course and are divided into certain language levels accordingly. Usually,
there are participants of one level present at one time. However, sometimes, learners of two or
three different levels meet there too. In this case, they are divided into groups according to the
levels. During the lessons and some activities they work in their groups and follow suitable
materials. During communal activities, all students usually work together.
Even at the time when all participants have the same knowledge of English, they are
divided into groups of maximum four students in one group. This is done mostly for the
lessons and therefore, they are more effective. The lessons are taught by well trained teachers
whose crucial characteristics are to be enthusiastic about teaching as well as they need to
believe in the benefits of the elements of Suggestopedia and experiential learning. There are
usually two or three teachers present at one course, depending on the number of participants.
One of the teachers is always a native speaker. The teachers become the student’s friends and
they are there to support them, lead them, create a positive and an enjoyable atmosphere and
of course, teach them. They guide students throughout the whole course, organise most of the
activities and also very often take part in them.
Regular feedbacks are done in the form of tests, for the students to see their progress.
In any case, mistakes are “gently” dealt with and students are encouraged to learn further. At
the end of the course, the teachers speak to each student individually. This is the time when
they give them an overall feedback as well as recommendation for further studies.
27
3.2. Learning environment
The course is held in a farm house which is situated on the outskirts of a very small
village where hardly anyone lives. This place is really suitable because there is plenty of
outside space for outdoor activities, both in the garden and in the beautiful surrounding area.
Furthermore, the activities do not distract any local people. Students are isolated from
everyday social facilities, such as for example pubs, shops, etc. which means that they can
fully concentrate on learning English.
Besides having very comfortable bedrooms, the farm house consists of several rooms.
Each of them is for a different purpose. There is a big untraditional classroom where all the
communal lessons and some activities take place. There is a dinning room which also
functions as a classroom when more participants are present in one course. There is a
relaxation room that is conditioned for all kinds of activities, including lessons and physical
and psychical relaxations. All these rooms are very well equipped with every kinds of modern
and essential technology. These include projectors, audio and video players as well as large
comfortable chairs, small tables and also mattresses in the relaxation room.
There is a very pleasant atmosphere in the farm house which is also very crucial for
the learning environment. All the rooms are spacious, the chairs and tables are arranged in a
semi-circle so that all the students as well as the teacher face each other. There is also enough
room for playing games, dancing and other activities that are included in the suggestopedic
courses. Except for the relaxation room, where the walls are painted blue so to create very
pleasant and relaxing atmosphere, all the other rooms are decorated with bright colours, with
plenty of natural and artificial lights. There are various posters, pictures and other items with
some English “topics” displayed around the whole house. As an example, there are charts
with the verb to be, the list of irregular verbs and some common phrases in the classroom.
There are labelled pictures of different clothes hanging in the laundry room. There are also
28
pictures of all kinds of items that are used for preparation of food in the kitchen. As a final
example, there is a poster with garden furniture and other equipment hanging on the outside
of the building. These are great examples of peripheral learning that is so important in
Suggestopedia. It is really beneficial for the students learning. For instance, when students in
the kitchen preparing food and they need some dish or equipment but do not know how to call
it in English, they can just look at the posters and learn it from there.
3.3. The role of the students
The courses last from three to seven days and each day follows a schedule that is
carefully prepared in advanced. Depending on the weather, some changes, especially for
outdoor activities, may occur. However, as it was mentioned above, the house offers enough
space for all kinds of activities in case of bad weather.
Each day starts at 7 oćlock in the morning when students are woken up by a pleasant
music which is followed by a recording of the vocabulary of the day. The daily programme
finishes at 10 or 11 oćlock in the evening.
At the beginning of the course, students are acquainted with all the rules of the course
and other essential “points” of the farm. For instance, they learn the times of reveille, food
and basic information of the programme.
First of all, they introduce themselves under their new identities .Following Lozanov´s
recommendation, students choose their new identities before the start of the course. This is a
course of the English language, and therefore the identities should be of an English origin. It
may be a name of a live or a dead person who the students have some kind of connection with
or it can be totally made up. Therefore, it is normal that famous people, such as Louise
Armstrong, Queen Victoria or even Homer Simpson meet there together to learn English. It is
not a big exception that the whole family of the Simpsons meet in one course. Every
29
participant, including the teachers, is equal and nobody boasts about their status to anybody.
The new identities also support this. Furthermore, the students sign a ‘contract’ where they
pronounce that “this week they will call truce with themselves and they will not compare
themselves with others under any circumstances”. (Koktejl, Superlearning)20
Pavel Sudík, the director of the Hampson language school, describes the benefits of
the new identities as:
“If a person acts under a new identity of someone who they somehow
identify with (themselves)s, then they gain the person´s self-confidence and
other positive characteristics. This new identity also brings anonymity. If
you are a stressed manager who is all day under pressure and has to solve
lots of difficult situation, then you are expected to act in a certain way, no
mater where you go. For instance, you have to control your emotions, speak
literary, be well dressed up, etc., and for this you need lots of energy which
can be used in another way. So if you leave your real identity, your tie and
your duties behind the gate of the farm house, you save all that energy for
learning. The anonymity is a very important part of the successful learning,
students do not know each other neither the teachers know them. The new
identity also helps students to feel more comfortable when making mistakes
because it is not really them who make them”. (Koktejl, Superlearning)21
20
21
30
3.4. Teaching Methods
As the day is so long, many students enter the course with the disbelief that they will
really learn all day and that they will be able to do it for so many hours. However, the
programme is so well planned and organised that students often find themselves surprised that
another day is over. At the end of the course, they even usually admit that they feel well
rested and they cannot imagine going back to their normal lives.
Students are exposed to the English language everywhere and all the time. This
includes also vocabulary recording that plays most of the time around the whole building.
Once a day, students are also invited to a specially equipped relaxation room where they listen
to the vocabulary recordings while relaxing or even sleeping. The background music allows
the brain to relax and be able to take in all the information even unconsciously. Successful
memorising of the words is also supported by visual stimulation known as ‘psychowalkman’.
The vocabulary is taken from the materials that are used in the course so students acquire and
recycle it throughout the entirety of the course. It also serves them to memorise some
vocabulary before the lessons, so in the lessons they already know their meaning and can
concentrate on using them actively. In the background of the recording plays baroque music
quietly which is one of the most unique aspects of the method Suggestopedia. One of the
students describes the listening of the vocabulary: “They “pour” the vocabulary into our
brains. With listening to vocabulary I wake up and fall asleep. The second day already, I
found myself repeating them all the time.” (Koktejl, Superlearning…)22
Every day, there are lessons focused on grammar only, during which the students learn
various grammatical structures so that in other lessons they can fully concentrate on using
them. Furthermore, students can ask about anything that is not clear or that they do not
understand.
22
31
3.5. Typical programme
During the day, there are other regular lessons that follow a course book or other
materials used in the course. In these lessons, the method of Suggestopedia is applied. Below
is a detailed description of a typical lesson:
Each lesson starts with the decoding of the vocabulary which will be used in the
lesson. This means that the teacher has got a list of words that he or she first reads and
students repeat them to learn the correct pronunciation. Then the teacher takes word by word
and discusses their meanings. All the time, background music is played which is one of the
most crucial and unique elements of the method Suggestopedia. The music used in
Suggestopedia has a specific speed of four beats which is the same as the speed of the human
heart beating. Besides the music creating a very pleasant and a relaxing atmosphere, it
prepares the students’ brains for learning. With students being free of negative emotions and
well relaxed, the teacher can start reading the text a few times. During this session the music
is played much louder so the students feel as though they are at a concert and do not need to
concentrate on learning. At first, they listen and read the English version. The second time
they read the Czech translation whilst listening to the English version at the same time. The
last time, they only listen to the English version. Hearing the text so many times and in the
various ways, they can easily understand it. After hearing the text, students themselves read it
aloud. According to the student’s level, they can repeat sentence by sentence after the teacher,
alone or all together. This helps them not to be afraid of being heard as well as to practise the
correct pronunciation and intonation. After this follow several exercises and activities, such as
dramatization of the text and role playing, when the students activate the language.
After or before each lesson, a short physical exercise takes place. Students select a
musical instrument, from shaman´s drums and various shakers, and they move to another
room which is outside but has a roof in case of bad weather. Very enjoyable music is played
32
in the background and students run, dance or just somehow move around while playing their
instruments. This room has a very pleasant atmosphere with handmade masks hanging on the
walls and other items reminding of shamanic culture are displayed around. Very often,
students are so taken by the listening and playing the music that they completely forget about
the outside world, sometimes even about English. This is an absolutely great way to relax,
refresh their brains, get fresh air, stretch their body and of course, learn more English. Once in
a while the music is turned down and some vocabulary or phrases are practised. First the
native teacher reads it and the students repeat it for the purpose of correct pronunciation. Then
more drills are done. Students can shout or even sing the words, but the most important is that
they say them aloud, because then they are imprinted into their minds much more. When they
go through all the sets, more dancing takes place and then the students are ready and fresh for
the next activity.
This exercise which is called ‘dynamics’ takes place a few times during each day. At
first, some students find it crazy, some even call it “brain washing” or they comment on it that
they feel as they joined some kind of religious sect. Although some students feel negative
about it and often do not feel comfortable running around and bang the drums like mad
people, soon, most of them love it and look forward to it.
Another most favourite activity is ‘sleeping time’ which takes time just after the lunch.
For the learning to be the most effective, students are required to go to lie down to relax and
meditate in a room that is specially equipped for these occasions. This is another crucial part
of suggestopedic method which helps the minds and bodies to get some rest and be well and
positively prepared for more and easier learning.
All activities and lesson are compulsory. However, as all of our students are adults, we
respect when someone does not want to take part in some of them. As mentioned before, the
main aim of the course is to have pleasant and enjoyable time during which students can
33
improve their English and learn to communicate in it, not to be forced to do what they do not
want to do.
3.6. Learning by playing
As the teachers of Hampson language schools also believe in the benefits of
experiential learning, besides regular lessons other activities are held. For example in the
summer months, outdoor activities such as climbing, canoeing, cycling, horse riding, etc.,
during which students practise their speaking skills as well as learn something about
themselves and the other students (to be a team player, relationship with other students, etc.).
Once or twice during the course, students cook their dinner according to an English recipe. In
such situations, the students learn the language by doing. They experience various situations
in the target language. It is not only a great fun and joy but it is also a highly effective way of
learning. Students will always remember more something that they have experienced
themselves than something that they just heard or read about. Furthermore, in this course they
can learn not only how to cook or how to give presentation but it also helps them to develop
their personalities as they have to undergo different challenges.
Lots of students often come to the courses after several years of unsuccessful learning
and full of negative learning experience. They often not only do not really believe that it can
be possible to learn without stress and with joy in an enjoyable way but also they do not really
believe that they will actually be able to ever communicate in the language. These prejudice
soon disappear when students find themselves having conversations with the teachers as well
as their classmates. The main aims of this course are to improve participants´ knowledge of
English, help them to communicate in it and also find pleasure in studying. Besides getting
more confident about using English and having the pleasure of studying it further, the positive
approach of the teachers and all the activities that students undergo in this course, also allow
34
the students to improve their interpersonal skills and discover a lot of interesting things about
themselves. Above all, it often develops their self-esteem and personal strength.
3.7. Activities
In this chapter, let me introduce a few of the activities that take place during the
course:
3.7.1. Who am I?
Aim: To develop communication skills, to practise “yes no” questions and have fun.
Time: approximately 20 -30 minutes, depending on the size of a group
Place and time of day: inside or outside at any time
Material: prepared nametags, pieces of paper
Procedure:
Before the activity, the teacher prepares nametags with names written on them. These
names can be of famous people, living or dead. They can also be characters from stories or
films or even of certain category, such as for example animals. Each participant gets the
nametag stuck on their back without seeing who he or she is. Alternatively, this can be written
on a piece of paper that lies in front of the participants in a way that he or she can not read it.
Then they ask other students “yes and no” questions. E.g. “Am I a male?”, “Am I alive?”,
“Am I a politician?”, “Have I got any children?”, etc. to find out their new identity. When
they succeed, another person goes.
Reflection:
The students were at pre-intermediate level and the game was based on previous
explanation and drill of the past simple. To use the past simple and also involve all students in
asking questions, I alternated the game a bit and called it “Who was who”. Before the game, I
35
cut out a set f cards with names and information of dead famous people. These were taken
from the teachers´ resource book New Cutting Edge, pre-intermediate (118,119). At the
beginning of the game, I explained the rules which were to ask yes no questions using past
simple to find out who each student was. I demonstrated a couple as an example and I also
wrote a few prompts such as ‘nationality, children, play/write/discover something, job, etc.’
on the board to help students think what to ask about. I let one student to choose one card and
asked her to read the information and check if she understands everything. When she was
ready the other students started to ask her questions. At first, students were asking in no order.
However, I noticed that some weaker students were reluctant to speak so I instructed the
students to ask one by one in order. This way all students were speaking equally. Some
students had a little difficulty with questions using did and was/were so I corrected them.
Furthermore, I put a couple of examples on the board. This seemed to help. Although, the
dead people were very famous, there was one student who did not have much knowledge
about them. Furthermore, for most of the students, was challenging to remember what had
already been asked and what had not. I monitored it and helped. Overall, the activity went
very well and the students seemed to enjoy it. Moreover, students practised and fixed their
skills of asking yes no questions in past simple.
3.7.2. Find your perfect partner
Aim: To develop communication skills, practise likes and dislikes, adjectives of people´s
personalities and appearance, and have fun.
Time: 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of a group
Place and time of day: inside or outside at any time
Material: cards with new identities
36
Procedure: Before the activity, the teacher prepares cards with new identities. There
needs to be the same number of cards of male and female identities. Each student picks one
card and learns all the information about their new identities. When they are ready, they
mingle around and ask an answer questions about each others likes, dislikes, personalities, etc.
to find their suitable future partner. When they find them, they can arrange to have a date
together.
Reflection:
In this group, there were 8 students at the beginner level and the activity was based on
previous lessons focused on present simple and likes and dislikes. Before the activity, I
prepared 8 new identities, 4 women and 4 men on separate pieces of paper. Each paper
contained information about the person, regarding his or her personal details, appearance,
hobbies and likes and dislikes. There were 5 women and 3 men in this group and to make it
more fun, I distributed the males´ role cards to the women and females´ role cards to men.
Because of the uneven number, one woman remained a woman. I explained the rules and
wrote a few questions as an example on the board. Then the students mingled around the
room and asked and answered each others´ questions in order to find their perfect partner. I
walked around, monitored and helped when necessary. The activity went really well. Students
practised asking questions, learned some new vocabulary and found themselves their new
partner. The atmosphere was really great and they seemed to have lots of fun. Some of the
students continued to be “partners” even after the activity and the following days.
3.7.3. Task hunt
Aim: to let students cooperate, use their imagination, get some physical exercise, have fun.
Time: 50-60 minutes, depending on the size of a group
Place and time of day: outside at any time

37
Material: pieces of paper, markers or pens, torch if it is dark
Procedure:
Students are asked to establish two teams according to their choice. Both teams take a
walk, each team goes in the opposite direction of the route. The first half of the walk they
think about a certain number of tasks. They write the tasks on the pieces of paper which they
leave on the way for the other team to complete. The second half of the walk, they find and
complete the tasks that the other team left there for them. Each team is accompanied by one
teacher who can assist them on the way as well as check that they fulfil all the tasks.
Note: In case of bad weather conditions, this activity can be played indoors. In this case,
students prepare the tasks in advance and hide them around the house. They also write some
clue as where to find the next task. Alternatively, the tasks can be also invented and
distributed by the teachers.
Reflection:
At the beginning of the activity, I asked the students to separate into two groups. I
accompanied one group and my colleague the other group. I explained them the rules and
what is their task. Then each group set off to the opposite direction and on the, they were
inventing some tasks which they left on the way for the other group to be completed. At first,
the students in my group were quite short of ideas in regards to the invention of tasks so I
helped them. However, after a while, they came up with lots of interesting and funny tasks.
For example: write down as many things that you can see around you, find and bring back
something that begins with the letter, invite a short poem with words of things that you can
see around you, count how many apple trees are there in the garden, go to the ranch and ask (I
English) how many horses there are, jump across the road like frogs, etc. As the two groups
meet at one point, I also advise them to make up some tasks when they can watch and listen to
the other group performing them. The students seemed to love this part mostly. They were
38
also very happy, especially because the activity took place outside and it involved also some
physical activity.
3.7.4. An alphabet race
Aim: to let students cooperate, practise and learn some vocabulary, use their imagination,
have fun.
Time: 60 minutes
Place and time of day: inside at any time
Material: sheets of paper, pens, dictionary
Procedure:
Students are asked to create pairs according to their choice. They write down on a
sheet of paper the whole alphabet. Then they go around the house and collect objects that
begin with a letter of the alphabet. When they find one object for each letter, they write down
the names of the objects. The last part of this activity is to invent a story using those words.
The use of dictionaries can be very helpful.
Reflection:
At the beginning of the activity, I explained the rules and the students chose their
partner. Then they began to look around the house and collect the objects. They were a group
of complete beginners but as this activity took place on the fifth day of the course they had
already learned lots of vocabulary. They were also allowed to use a dictionary for help which
they did. During the activity, the students were speaking in Czech to each other but I thought
this was fine due to their level so I let them. They all collected the items and then wrote a
short story. Due their level of English, I did not insist on using all the words. Although this
part of the activity was probably the most challenging, the students seemed to enjoy inventing
39
the stories. The stories were not grammatically correct, however, some of them were really
good and funny. Furthermore, apart from employing imagination, the students learned some
new vocabulary and practise their writing skills.
3.7.5. Gamble!
Aim: to let students cooperate, use general knowledge, practise questions, have fun.
Time: 1.5 – 2 hours
Place and time of day: inside at any time
Material: board, marker, internet
Procedure:
Students are asked to create pairs or groups according to their choice. Before this
game, students decide about the topics for the game. As an example, these can be: sport,
famous people, films and fairy tales, biology, geography, etc. Then students select the topics
according to their preferences and invent questions regarding those topics. Each question is
for a certain number of points from 100 to 500. Questions for 100 are the easiest, whilst
questions for 500 are the most difficult ones. Students are allowed to use the internet to check
the correct answers and for other support. At the beginning of the game, the teacher draws a
table with a certain number of columns where he or she writes the topics and the points. Each
team chooses a question which was invented by another team and its value. For example:
Sport for 200 points. The team that created the question reads it and the other one tries to
answer correctly. If they do not know the answer or they do not want to answer it, another
team gets the chance instead. The team that answers correctly scores the number of points that
the questions is worth. The team that answers incorrectly loses the number of point. One
teacher is the referee.
Reflection:
40
This activity was done with a group of 12 intermediate students. It took place on the
last night of the course so their English was really fluent. Before the activity, I asked the
students to form 4 groups of their choice. As we were three teachers present at this course, we
also played against the students and one of my colleagues was the referee. In the afternoon,
each group selected three topics and had about sixty minutes to prepare five questions for
each one. It was permitted to use the internet so some of the questions were really
challenging. During the game, students were occasionally discussing their answers in Czech
but this was not too much so we let them. However, we set a rule that the final answer must be
told by a different student each time so all of them spoke. There were some stronger teams in
some categories than in others but overall, we were less equal. The students practised their
speaking skills and asking questions. There was also some negotiating and we all employed
our general knowledge. All the teams were very competitive and excited and the atmosphere
was absolutely perfect.
3.8. Evaluation of the course
3.8.1. Introduction
In this chapter, I present a description of a questionnaire based survey and its results.
The survey was carried out among students who attended an intensive English course at
Hampson language school in Ptýrov.
The main aim of the survey is to show how useful and enjoyable students find to learn
English by using some of the elements of the methods Suggestopedia in combination with
experimental learning.
41
3.8.2. Research method
The questionnaire was distributed to 60 students who were asked to express their
opinion about the extent of usefulness of the approaches, methods, activities and the
atmosphere of course by choosing one of the answers based on the scale: Absolutely agree,
rather agree, not agree or disagree, rather disagree, absolutely disagree. The questionnaire
contained 19 questions of multiple-choice type answers.
The questionnaire was divided into three parts. The first part focused on evaluation of
certain methods of teaching used in the course. The purpose of the second part was aimed at
the fulfilment of the course aim – to learn and improve English. In the third part, students
expressed their opinion of the course in general. The questionnaire is available in appendix 1.
3.8.3. Respondents
All the respondents were adults between 18 – 60 years old, at the total starters to
intermediate level of English knowledge. I addressed 15 students at each of the levels, 60
students in total. Most of them claimed that they had not attended any courses of English on
regular basis before taking part in the intensive course. .
3.8.4. Analysis of the results
In this chapter, I include the questions and analysis of the results. They are divided
into three categories: 1. Evaluation of the methods of teaching/learning, 2. Fulfilment of the
course goal, 3. General evaluation of the course and the teachers. Each group of question is
followed by a graph for better orientation. Note that the results are rounded.
Category 1: Evaluation of the methods of learning
42
1. I found playing the background music during the readings of the texts useful.
2. I found playing the background music during the whole lesson useful.
3. I found reading the texts more times and in both languages (English and Czech
version) useful.
4. I found practising reading the texts useful.
5. I found the relaxation and meditation useful.
6. I found the vocabulary listening useful.
7. I found the dynamic exercise with vocabulary drilling useful.
8. I experienced the joy of learning English in a non-traditional way – through games and
various activities and experiential learning.
9. I found the non traditional way of learning and learning through experience useful.
10. I found the English policy – speaking in English during the whole course useful.
Question Absolutely Rather Not agree Rather Absolutely

number agree Agree or disagree disagree disagree
1 8% 78% 14%
2 16% 74% 10%
3 62% 32% 6%
4 62% 32% 6%
5 42% 45% 13%
6 87% 13%
7 45% 55%
8 62% 32% 5% 1
9 26% 70% 4%
10 68% 28% 4%
Graph no. 1: Evaluation of the methods of learning
43
Graph number 1 presents the results of the evaluation of the methods. As can be seen,
most of the students did not agree or disagree with the statement that playing of the
background music, both during the whole lesson and during the reading, was useful.
On the other hand they all expressed their agreement that the reading of the text more
times and in both languages, English and Czech, was helpful. This could be perhaps because
lots of the students were at low level of language knowledge so the Czech translation and
repetitive reading helped them to understand the text better. They could not only see the
meaning of the words but also sentence formation and other grammatical features. Similarly,
reading the texts themselves allowed them to practise the correct pronunciation, intonation as
well as to use the language themselves, which is one of the most important parts of language
acquisition.
Most agreement was expressed with the benefit of relaxation and mediation. With the
days being so long and the daily programme so “full”, students appreciated to have this kind
44
of break when they could relax their minds and bodies and be well prepared for the following
activities and learning.
It is clearly visible that all students considered the method of vocabulary learning
useful. Memorising of vocabulary is usually quite difficult for many students, especially
adults. Therefore, they found listening and drilling of the new words, phrases and expression
highly beneficial.
Similarly, all students stated high agreement with both experiencing joy of learning in
non traditional way (through games and experiential learning) as well as its benefits. This
result proves that learning a language does not have to be boring. It was probably achieved
due to the positive environment, supportive approach of the teachers and the choice of the
activities (the programme in general).
Finally, most students found the English policy – speaking in English only during the
whole course very useful. A few students did not express their agreement or disagreement
with it at all. This could probably be due to the fact that lots of students were at low level of
their language knowledge, some of them were complete beginners and so they found this
policy very difficult. However, in the next graph the results prove that the language
acquisition and improvement was fulfilled successfully. I dare to say that the English speaking
policy had contributed to it highly.
Bellow you can see a graph no. 1.1. which shows the results of average answers for
each question 1- 10 in category 1. I counted the results by using this scale: 5 point for
absolutely agree, 4 points rather agree, 3 points not agree or disagree, 2 points rather disagree,
1 point absolutely disagree.
Graph no.1.1. Evaluation of the methods of learning
45
Category 2: Fulfilment of the course goal
1. My attitude towards learning English has improved.
2. I feel encouraged and motivated to continue learning English.
3. Apart from the improvement of my language skills I also developed various skills such
as be a good team player, to find solution to various problems, be more confident, etc.)
4 I have learned new vocabulary, phrases and grammar.
5. I have improved my knowledge of English.
6. I feel more confident in using English in both active and passive way.
46
1 11% 67% 17% 5%
2 24% 72% 4%
3 56% 38% 6%
4 48% 52%
5 32% 68%
6 21% 48% 28% 3%
Graph no. 2 Fulfilment of the course goal
In this graph we can see that a high number of students have changed their attitude
towards learning for the better and feel encouraged and motivated to continue learning
English. This happened probably due to the methods and approaches employed in the courses.
As mentioned above, it allowed the students to discover that learning can be reached
succesfully and with pleasure.
In question number three, students were asked to express their opinion about
development of other skills than just languge ones. During the course, the students were
engaged in various situations when they had to for exmple, work on a team project, give
47
presentations, play game, act in a play, etc. As the results show, all these situation were rather
beneficial for the students.
As the main purpose of the intensive course is to learn or improve English and be able
to use it, the results in the second graph shows that this goal was acomplished mainly with
success.
Graph no. 2.1. Fulfilment of the course
Category 3: General evaluation of the course and the teachers.
1. The overall atmosphere of the course was great.
2. The overall quality of the course was great.
3. The quality of the teachers.

1 24% 72% 4%
2 21% 74% 5%
48
3 67% 28% 5%
Graph no. 3 General evaluation of the course and the teachers.
In the last category, students expressed their opinion on the atmosphere in the course
as well as its quality and quality of the teachers. As can be seen in the results, most students
found the atmosphere in the course rather great. Similarly, they evaluated the teachers´
quality. These positive results are very important especially due to the fact that two of the
main elements of Suggestopedia are a positive learning environment and competent teachers.
Furthermore, the students rated the quality of the course in general very favourably. Likewise
the other elements employed in the course, also these three issues play a very important role
and have a great impact on students´ language development.

49
Graph no. 3.1. General evaluation of the course and the teachers.
Conclusion
The aim of this bachelor thesis was to raise awareness of the existence of two
alternative teaching methods called Suggestopedia and experiential learning and to show how
beneficial those methods are. Likewise, I would like to emphasize that teaching and learning a
foreign language can be an enjoyable experience for both students as well as educators.
In the theoretical part I provided all the important information regarding the theory of
the two methods.
50
In the practical part a reader can learn how these methods are applied in practise and
how they work. To prove their effectiveness, I carried out a questionnaire based survey among
students who took part in intensive courses where both of these methods are used in
combination.
With regards to the results of the survey which are overall very positive, it can be said
that the methods used in the course are highly effective and they successfully fulfil the target
– to learn and improve a foreign language, in this case English. Similarly, they show that
learning a foreign language by these methods can be accomplished with joy.
Consequently due to the results as well as my personal experience, I would definitely
recommend to other teachers to employ these methods in their language courses because
successful and satisfied students are the greatest satisfaction for teachers.
In the practical part, I also included a few examples of activities that can be used for
developing language skills. I hope that these examples will serve as an inspiration for other
teachers.
References:
Andrášik, Tomáš. Intensive Language Courses – Development of the Four Primary Language
Skills through Multiple Intelligences Theory. Bachelor thesis. Brno, 2012. Microsoft PDF
file. 4 May 2012.
Apriana, Anggun and Islamiyah, Mutiara. “A Teaching Method: Suggestopedia.” Sriwijaya
University. n.d. Web. 30 October 2012.
<http://novaekasari09.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/a-teaching-method-suggestopedia/>
51
Bancroft, Jane W. Suggestopedia and Language Acquisition: Variation on a Theme. Florence:
Gordon & Breach Publishing, 1999.
<http://site.ebrary.com/lib/masaryk/docDetail.action?
docID=10099072&p00=suggestopedia%20language%20acquisition>
Barker, Helen, et al. New Cutting Edge, Pre-Intermediate. Teacher’s Resource Book. Harlow:
Pearson Education Limited, 2005. Print.
Beard, Wilson C., John P. Experiential Learning: A Handbook of Best Practice for Educators
and Trainers. London: Kogan Page Ltd., 2006.
< http://site.ebrary.com/lib/masaryk/docDetail.action?docID=10137816&p00=beard>
Bowen, Tim. “Teaching Approaches: What is Suggestopedia?” n.d. Microsoft PDF file. Web.
29 October 2012.
<http://swprsc.fatcow.com/handouts/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Teaching-approaches-
suggestopedia.pdf>
Buner, Roberto. “Zkušenosti se sugestopedií (superlearningem) jakožto formou globální
výuky. Superlearning znamená úspěch. Praha: Talpress, 1994. Print.
Christison, MaryAnn. “Brain-BaseResearch & LanguageTeaching.” Eglish Teaching Forum
April 2002: 2-7. Print.
Fairchild, Bob, et. al. Cambridge Advanced Leaner’s Dictionary. Cambridge University Press.
2003. Print.
Felix, Uschi. “Superlearning.” Accelerative Learning. Flinders University, Adelaide. 1989.
Web. 12 January 2012.
<http://users.monash.edu.au/~ufelix/thesis2-4.htm>
Hampson Language school “Fotogalerie.” Hampson. n.d. Web 15 March 2013.
<http://www.hampson.cz/o-nas/fotogalerie>
52
Knutson, Sonja. “Experiential Learning in Second-Language Classroom“. Tesl Canada
journal. 20.2 (2003). Microsoft PDF file. Web. 10 December 2012.
<http://www.teslcanadajournal.ca/index.php/tesl/article/viewFile/948/767>
Kohonen, Viljo, et al. Experiential Learning in Foreign Language Education. Harlow:
Pearson Education Limited, 2001. Print.
Larsen-Freeman, Diane. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Oxford University
Press. 2003. Print.
Leiva, Bertha. “Teaching Tefl with the Brain in Mind.” Slideshare. n.d. Web. 10 December
2012.
<http://www.slideshare.net/bleiva2003/teaching-efl-with-the-brain-in-mind>
Lozanov, George. Suggestology and Outlines of Suggestopedy. Florence: Gordon & Breach
Publishing,1992. http://site.ebrary.com.ezproxy.muni.cz/lib/masaryk/docDetail.action?
docID=10097544&p00=suggestopedia
Maier, Christian and Marion Weberová. Superlerning znamená úspěch. Praha: Talpress, 1994.
Print.
Obrovská, Vendula. Principy Sugestopedie jako inspirace pro výuku německého jazyka na ZŠ.
Dissertation. Brno 2009. Microsoft Word document. 25 August 2012.
Priyatmojo, Arif S. “Suggestopedia as a Method for Teaching Speaking for Young Learners in
a Second Language Classroom.” Semarang State University. 2009. Web. 30 October 2012.
<http://www.google.cz/url?
sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDYQFjAA&url=http%3A
%2F%2Fpps.unnes.ac.id%2Fpps1%2Ffiles%2Fpaper%2520seminar%2520pbi
%25202009%2FArif%2520Suryo%2520P.doc&ei=7FJlUYj-
N8jD7AbGuoHYCA&usg=AFQjCNEPZgEp4gp91c2Iil4bvUiwpAWcBg&sig2=DQ15kP
Gn1VQ9401kjYN2sQ>
53
Richards, Jack C., and Theodore S. Rodgers. Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching.
New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005. Print.
Škvára, Jan. “Superlearning- Metoda na líné mozky” Koktejl 3 September 2005. Web.
20 March 2013.
<http://www.czech-press.cz/index.php?
option=com_content&view=article&id=2376%3Asuperlearning-metoda-na-line-
mozky&Itemid=5>
Tepperwein, Kurt. Umenie láhko sa učiť. Šamorín: Fontana Kiadó, 1992. Print.
Welford, John. “Suggestopedia” Learning Theories. n.d.Web 18 May 2012.
Appendices
Appendix 1: Questionnaire
Category 1: Evaluation of the methods of learning
1. I found playing the background music during the readings of the texts useful.
Absolutely agree Rather agree Not agree or disagree
Rather disagree Absolutely disagree.
54
2. I found playing the background music during the whole lesson useful.
3. I found reading the texts more times and in both languages (English and Czech
version) useful.
4. I found practising reading the texts useful.
5. I found the relaxation and meditation useful.
6. I found the vocabulary listening useful.
7. I found the dynamic exercise with vocabulary drilling useful.
55
8. I experienced the joy of learning English in a non-traditional way – through games and
various activities and experiential learning.
9. I found the non traditional way of learning and learning through experience useful.
10. I found the English policy – speaking in English during the whole course useful.
Category 2: Fulfilment of the course goal
1. My attitude towards learning English has improved.
2. I feel encouraged and motivated to continue learning English.
3. Apart from the improvement of my language skills I also developed various skills such
as be a good team player, to find solution to various problems, be more confident, etc.)
56
4. I have learned new vocabulary, phrases and grammar.
5. I have improved my knowledge of English.
6. I feel more confident in using English in both active and passive way.
Category 3: General evaluation of the course and the teachers.
1. The overall atmosphere of the course was great.
2. The overall quality of the course was great.
3. The quality of the teachers.
57
Appendix 2: Photos
Singing songs in English
58
Playing musical instruments
59
Cooking dinner
Theatre performance
60
Hunting tasks
61
Going to play baseball
62
Climbing
Relaxation with audio-visual stimulation
63
64

Katerina Vodesilova - Alternative Teaching Methods in Teaching English (2) NO ES MAESTRIA PERO TIENE TEMAS IMPORTANTES

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Katerina Vodesilova - Alternative Teaching Methods in Teaching English (2) NO ES MAESTRIA PERO TIENE TEMAS IMPORTANTES

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MASARYK UNIVERSITY

Alternative teaching methods in

Brno, April 2013 Kateřina Vodešilová

1. Suggestopedia and its modern version Superlearning.......................................................8

1.1. The History and Theory of Suggestopedia...................................................................8

1.2. Suggestopedia or Superlearning...............................................................................10

1.3. Characteristics of Suggestopedia..............................................................................10

1.4. Main Phases of Suggestopedia..................................................................................16

1.5. The human brain.......................................................................................................20

1.6. See, Hear, Feel – Different Learning Styles................................................................22

2.1. Experiential learning.................................................................................................23

3. Suggestopedia and experiential learning in practice........................................................27

3.1. General course description.......................................................................................27

3.2. Learning environment...............................................................................................28

3.3. The role of the students............................................................................................30

3.4. Teaching Methods.....................................................................................................32

3.5. Typical programme....................................................................................................33

3.6. Learning by playing...................................................................................................35

3.7.1. Who am I?..............................................................................................................36

3.7.2. Find your perfect partner.......................................................................................38

3.7.3. Task hunt................................................................................................................39

3.8. Evaluation of the course............................................................................................43

3.8.2. Research method...................................................................................................43

3.8.4. Analysis of the results............................................................................................44

My bachelor thesis is focused on two alternative methods of teaching English called

put down to practice and what the outcome is.

in various spheres such as politics, tourism, work and even entertainment.

language as soon as possible. Therefore, several methods and approaches of learning

supports students to experience successful learning with joy.

part of the theoretical part of my bachelor thesis to this method.

description of such courses and their evaluation.

even if I may not have it at the beginning.”

1. Suggestopedia and its modern version Superlearning

1.1. The History and Theory of Suggestopedia

Suggestopedia, also called Dessugestopedia, is a teaching method which was

learning “too much, too fast, won`t last” (14).

methods to bring these ‘locked-up’ human resources into play” (257).

achievements he concluded that if it is possible to carry out painless operations, it should as

state of a human is associated with better concentration (Maier, Weberová 58)2.

learn in an absolutely friendly and safe environment.

1.2. Suggestopedia or Superlearning

work caused more harm to Lozanov`s method as the ‘techniques of Superlearning’

on listening to audio-tapes, whilst in Lozanov`s method one of the main and

the presence of the teacher would not work successfully. (40) 3

1.3. Characteristics of Suggestopedia

successful is students’ learning and achievements. Consequently, it is necessary to create a

positive suggestion, ‘infantilization’, relaxation.

Let me describe each of the characteristics in detail:

 Peripheral learning and classroom decoration

Peripheral information can also help encourage students to be more experimental,

classroom’s wall, describe a particular place in an English speaking country by

such self-activities, they will be more confident. (7)

attended peripherally could never be encoded in longer term memory” (7).

equally important elements of this method.

One of the most unique techniques in Suggestopedia is playing background music

structure not on a personal choice” (150)5. According to Lozanov’s recommendation,

Tapperwein (151-152) presents a list of suitable music by the following composers:

 Johann Sebastian Bach

 Georg Friedrich Händel

 Georg Philipp Telemann

and practising pronunciation.

Rodgers and Richards (Approaches and methods…104) list:

1. Show absolute confidence in the method.

2. Display fastidious conduct in manners and dress.