Principles and Teaching Application of Suggestopedia’s 6 Technical Characteristics

刘佳

【Abstract】As one of the important teaching methods， Suggestopedia has played an irreplaceable role in optimization of English learning. It was its 6 particular technical features proposed by Georgi Lozanov that makes its centrality， suggestion， distinguished from other forms of mind control and show distinct advantages in cognition and memorization of information in English learning. Authority， Infantilization， Double-planedness， Intonation， Rhythm and Pseudo-passiveness， each technical characteristic of Suggestopedia has its own principles， internal connection with the production of unconscious psychological activity， practical significance and experience in application. Analyzing these aspects based on each characteristic makes contributions to helping the teacher have a better command of Suggestopedia and accomplish an optimal teaching effect with varied forms of Suggestopedic methods concrectely.

【Key words】Suggestopedia； technical characteristic； application

Introduction

Suggestopedia is a specific set of learning recommendations which harnesses and redirects unconscious and/or irrational influences human beings are constantly responding to optimize learning （Stevick， 1976）. It was developed by the Bulgarian psychiatrist-educator Georgi Lozanov and used mostly to learn foreign languages.

Suggestopedia applied positive suggestion in teaching when it was developed in the 1970s and regarded as a portmanteau of the words ?suggestion? and ?pedagogy”. Suggestion is at the heart of theory of learning underlying Suggestopedia.

Lozanovs theory of Suggestion is distinguished from hypnosis and other forms of mind control because that the latter lack “a desuggestive- suggestive sense” and “fail to create a constant set up of access to reserves through concentrative psycho-relaxation”（Lozanov， 1978）， while Lozanovs theory could make it with 6 principal theoretical components：Authority， Infantilization， Double-planedness， Intonation， Rhythm and concert pseudo-passiveness， which weve often called technical characteristics of Suggetopedia.

Lozanov（1978） pointed out that memory deficit is the most difficult problem for students to overcome. Perceiving information and stimulation unconsciously is the basis of long-term memory， which needs students to stay in the environment where teachers can give appropriate suggestion in some ways. The 6 theories， or rather techniques we mentioned above promote students unconscious psychological activities in order to accomplish the effective memorization. Analyzing these aspects is necessary to apply them to the real teaching process and help to exploit Suggestopedias advantages to the full.endprint

Analyses and application of 6 technical characteristics

Authority

Lozanov（1978） claimed that nearly all of suggestive methods are based on authority， no matter whether it is leaders personality authority， faith authority， or experience authority. Through the study， Lozanov and his colleagues discovered that suggestibility of individuals（or we say the extent of perceiving suggestion） can be influenced by physical strength， mentality， vocational ability， social statue and other factors， in which underdogs are more suggestible while authorities are more influential and dominant. So when the teacher want to intensify students memorization of what they are imparted， it is effective to present the information or knowledge from an authoritative source， such as scientific-sounding language， highly positive experimental data and so on. Lozanov conducted an experiment to prove this point：He divided the students in a class into 2 groups and asked each group to recite the same poem. One of the groups （we call group A in the next context） were told what they were to recite was written by a famous poet and the other group didnt get to know the reference of the poem. The consequence is that group A finished their task more efficient. Its one of the typical evidences.

Besides， when teachers quote some sayings of a famous writer or show some artistic works of a hot artist to convey specific ideas， the students will perceive suggestions from authority with emotion strongly， in which unconscious aesthetic psychological activities operate and memorization can be strengthened a great deal.

The significance of authority is well worth paying enough attention to and applying to the language teaching process owing to its own distinct advantages in suggestopedia. Besides presenting materials from an authoritative source mentioned above， teachers should also keep in mind that excessively intentional authority is always counterproductive；therefore， teachers would better deal with the balance appropriately and not use absolutely negative gestures and words.

Infantilization

Infantilization is the most essential method in any teaching period. Teachers have been equipped with abundant knowledge reserves， training their problem-solving skills and logical thinking ability for a long time which make them very different from the students who seems like a piece of white paper when coming to new fields of knowledge. On this occasion， infantilization begins to show its irreplaceable advantages（Sun， 2015）.endprint

Teachers seize the psychological characteristics and cognitive bases of students；then they design corresponding teaching plans and play suitable roles like parent to accomplish their infantilization. In terms of learners， they are required to play the childs role taking part in role playing， songs， games and gymnastic exercises that help “the older student regain the self-confidence， spontaneity and receptivity of the child”（Bancroft， 1972）. Learners infantilization is more conspicuous in Suggestopedia， but both aspects make contributions to optimization of learning together.

In the modern education， Infantilization requires the teacher to be good at circumstance set and role arrangement， providing the students delighting and relaxing environment to learn. Playing a role as parent is what the teacher should keep in mind. Just as Lozanov proposed， teachers can accomplish Infantilization by encouraging students to taking part in role playing， songs， games and gymnastic exercises. It need more energy， time and patience for a teacher， but the feedback is excellent. On the one hand， teachers in this way can improve their appetency， building up the harmony and echo-ing each other， and achieving good relationship between students（Sun， 2015）；On the other hand， promote the development of students confidence and expressiveness.

Double-planedness

Double-planedness refers to the unconscious stimulus from the environment where the instruction takes place （the decoration， furniture， and arrangement of the classroom and the musical background ） and teachers behaviors （gesture and expression）. All of these elements are called peripheral stimulus and have a great impact on the learning process.

Experiments demonstrate that Double-planedness can intensify the authority， creating the circumstance of infantilization and giving the unconscious psychological suggestion to help learner perceive and memorize information effectively （Liao， 2003）， which provides teachers today with lots of inspiration and experience.

For instance， applying proper artistic forms tactfully. Background music， expressive elocnte with vivid expression and action， and artistic arrangement are helpful. Through the use of music， teacher can relax learners， making a peaceful and pleasant atmosphere. Besides， the centrality of music and musical rhythm help to structure， pace and punctuate the presentation of linguistic material（Lozanov）， which seems the same as the third function of music in therapy proposed by Gaston（1698）：music uses the unique potential of rhythm to energize and bring the order. In addition， teachers behavior. Through the artistic arrangement of the classroom relevant to the learning theme and the teachers behavior（gestures， expressions and expressive elocnte） full of artistic appeal， students perceive suggestions and influences in a long-term subtle way from their visual cognition to mental stimulation（Feng&Han， 2009）.endprint

Intonation and Rhythm

Intonation refers to strength， speed and pitch of voice in sentences， which can express information in a flexible way. Different intonations can convey different kind of content and produce different effect to listeners. Emphasis， weakening， and cadence are different forms. In suggestopedia， when words expressed in mild， sacred and mandatory intonations， it is easier to achieve the suggestive result. Deep and misty suggestion is more influential than direct instruction. Lozanov conducted a experiments with his colleagues， in which they asked the teacher to use variegated intonations to recite a specific material in experimental group and relatively changeless and plain intonation were designed for the students in control group. Through the experiments， Lozanov discovered that although the teacher presented the same material， the students in experimental showed their obvious advantages in quantity of the material and durability of memorization， which proved that intonation plays a very essential role in the memorization of the students and has encouraged teachers to combine the materials they intend to present with variegated intonations in class to get better feedback.

Rhythm is one of the basic elements of music. It refers to the alternative combination of length and strength in voice which has some regular patterns.Its also the manifestation of core and length of the syllable in words. When the content to be memorize is presented in the form of proper pause between words and phrases， intonation will reach the best state and has a deep impression on listeners mind. Constant， rhythmic and consistent stating can produce unconscious and irrational activities of psychology， which always managed to break out the anti-suggestion psychological defensive line of learners（Liao， 2003）. Using the properly variegated rhythm can emphasize the key points and accomplish other effects， making contributions to the improvement of memorization when students perceiving suggestion unconsciously

In the words of Jack. C. Richard and Theodore S. Rodgers（2001）， “Varying the tone and rhythm of presented material helps both to avoid boredom through monotony of repetition and to dramatize， emotionalize， and give meaning to linguistic material Both intonation and rhythm are coordinated with a musical background. The musical background helps to induce a relaxed attitude， which Lozanov refers to as concert pseudo-passiveness which will be discussed in the next part. This state is felt to be optimal for learning， in that anxieties and tension are relived and power of concentration for new material is raised.” we can find how important the appropriate intonation and rhythm are in the interactive teaching-learning process and what the teacher should pay attention to when reciting or narrating the specific material.endprint

Pseudo-passiveness

Pseudo-passiveness refers to the state in which suggestion is the easiest to perceive for learners deeply relaxed. One of the most typical characteristics of Pseudo-passiveness is the physical relaxation and mental activeness of individual （Lozanov）. The production of Pseudo-passiveness state benefits from the functions of music， which can influence the specific part of brain directly.

In the class which covered by Suggetopedia， Pseudo-passiveness is always come true by concert pseudo-passiveness. Lozanov advocated Baroque music in Suggestopedia， because musicians in that period utilized particular key， rate， forms of harmony， rhythm and speed to make receivers mentality and physique reach the harmonious state with a strong infection.

While nowadays teachers dont have to limit their assist to Baroque music. According to the basic principles of Suggetology， applying any form of classical music， which can reach the harmonious state， to modern teaching can also accomplish the good teaching result in Suggestopedia， as well as help students to feel the charm of art， developing their wholesome personality （Liao， 2003）. Besides the use of background music， other artistic forms we mentioned in Double-planedness are also good to producing this state. Teachers would better according to reality adjust their methods to help students come to Pseudo-passiveness.

Conclusion

By analyzing these 6 technical characteristics of Suggetopedia， we go through the basic principle and details of each， discovering the internal relationship between these specific features and receivers unconscious psychological activities：When suggestion conveyed in Suggestopedia way in the form of elaborate Authority， Infantilization， Double-planedness， Intonation， Rhythm and Pseudo-passiveness， the receiver will perceive suggestion and be stimulated unconsciously with their anti-suggestion broken out， which directly helps the improvement of cognition and memorization of the information-receiver.

These positive relation can be applied to modern teaching. Authority requires teachers to present material from an authoritative source or in an authoritative but moderate way；Infantilization needs teachers to play their roles as parent appropriately and lead students play childs role， taking part in expressive activities to strengthen their self-confidence；Doule-planedness asked teachers to be good at applying proper artistic forms tactfully in class and pay attention to the environment where the instruction takes place；In addition， teachers would better use variegated intonation and rhythm to present their material in order to draw the attention and interest of students， avoiding boredom and strengthen their memory of what theyve learned. Finally， teacher should try to actively adjust their methods to help students come to Pseudo-passiveness state with classical music or other forms according to reality in order to accomplish better teaching effect.endprint

Only when the teacher carry out the requirement of each technical characteristic and combine them organically， will the Suggetopedia exploit its advantages to the full and make great headway；will the interactive teaching-learning relationship take on a harmonious look preferably and the learning process be easier and flexible for students unconsciously.

References：

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[2]Feng，N.& Han，Q.（2009）.The Application of Suggetopedia in English Teaching.Journal of Liaoning Educational Administration Institute，26（8）：62-63.

[3]Gaston，E.T.（ed.）.（1968）.Music in Therapy.New York： Macmillan.

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[5]Lozanov，G.（1978）.Suggestology and Outlines of Suggestopedy.New York：Gordon and Breach.

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[7]Richard，J.C.and Rodgers，T.S.（2001）.Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching.London：Cambridge University Press.

[8]Stevick，E.W.（1976）.Memory，Meaning and Method：Some Psychological Perspectiveon Language Learning.Rowley，Mass： Newbury House.

[9]Sun.Y.A.（2015）.Infantilization：Be a “clumsy” teacher.Time

Education，2015（16）：228-228.endprint