Suggestopedia or
Desuggestopedia
By Ashwag Al-Fahd
Supervised by: Dr.Hind Al-Fadda
Desuggestopedia
*Suggestopedia is now called Desuggestopedia to
reflect the importance placed on desuggesting
limitations on learning
*Desuggestopedia has been called an affectivehumanistic approach.
The originator of Desuggestopedia
 It was created by the Bulgarian
educator Georgi Lozanov in
1979.
 ” Learning is a matter of
attitude, not aptitude.”
 Lozanov himself declaring that
memorization in learning through
De-suggestopedia would be
accelerated by up to 25 times
over that in conventional learning
methods.
.
Learning Theory
People use 5-10% of their mental
capacity. In order to make better use
of our mental reserves, limitations
need to be desuggested. Students
should eliminate the feelings that they
cannot be successful and thus, to help
them overcome the barriers to
learning. Psychological barriers should
be removed.
Language Theory
Lazanov does not articulate a theory of
language. However according to this
method communication is a two-plane
process. Language is the first of the two
planes. In the second plane, there are
factors, which influence the linguistic
message (e.g. the way one dresses,
non-verbal behaviours that affect the
linguistic message).
The main principles of
Desuggestopedia
1) In an atmosphere of play, the conscious
attention of the learner does not focus on
linguistic forms, but rather on using the
language.
2) Students can learn from what is present
in the environment. (Peripheral learning)
3) Fine art provides positive
suggestions for students.
4) Errors are corrected gently and
indirectly.
5) The teacher should integrate indirect
positive suggestions into the
learning situation.
Key Elements of De-Suggestopedia
1. Rich sensory learning environment
2. Positive expectation of success
3. Varied range of methods
Techniques
 Classroom set up:
dim lights, soft music, comfortable armchairs,
and posters on the walls.
 Positive Suggestion:
*Direct Suggestion:
The teacher tells students they are going to be
successful to create self-confidence.
*Indirect Suggestion:
This is provided by music and comfortable
physical conditions of the classroom.
 Visualisation:
Students are asked to close their eyes and concentrate on their
breathing. Then the teacher describes a scene or an event in
detail so that students think they are really there. When the scene
is complete, the teacher asks students to slowly open their eyes
and return to the present. This can be done just before students
write a composition in order to activate their creativity.
 Choose a New Identity:
Students can be asked to write about their fictional new identity,
new home town, family, etc.
 First Concert:
Music is played. The teacher begins a slow, dramatic reading,
synchronised in intonation with the music. The music is classical.
Teacher's voice is usually hushed, but rises and falls with the
music.
 Second Concert:
Students put their scripts aside. Students close their eyes and
listen as the teacher reads with musical accompaniment. This
time the content that is read by the teacher is emphasised by the
way the teacher reads the text. Music is secondarily important. At
the end of the concert, the class ends for the day.
Four Stages of De-Suggestopedia：
1. Presentation
2. First Concert - "Active Concert“
3. Second Concert - "Passive Review“
4. Practices
PRESENTATION
A first stage in which students are helped to
relax and move into a positive frame of
mind, with the feeling that the learning is
going to be easy and fun.
FIRST CONCERT - "ACTIVE CONCERT"
This involves the active presentation of the
material to be learnt. For example, in a
foreign language course there might be the
dramatic reading of a piece of text,
accompanied by classical music.
SECOND CONCERT - "PASSIVE REVIEW"
The students are now invited to relax and
listen to some Baroque music, with the
text being read very quietly in the
background. The music is specially
selected to bring the students into the
optimum mental state for the effortless
acquisition of the material.
PRACTICE
The use of a range of games, puzzles, etc.
to review and consolidate the learning.
Class example
 First class:
 The teacher greets and explains what she is
going to do in native language with
enthusiasm.
 The teacher listens to the music that is
recorded in the radio.
 Teacher reads a dialogue in intonation with
the music.
 The students follow the dialogue in their
scripts.
 The students put dawn their scripts.
 The teacher reads the dialogue in a normal rate and
the students listen to her.
 The students read the dialogue in particular manners
(sad, angry, cheerful way).
 The students get in a circle. The teacher throws a ball
to one student and she asks a question. Then this
student has to throw the ball to another student and
asks another question.
 The class is finished.
 The students do not have any homework.
Literature Review
about
De-Suggestopedia
WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF TEACHERS
WHO USE DESUGGESTOPEDIA?

Teachers hope to accelerate the process by
which students learn to use a foreign language
for everyday communication.

More of the students' mental powers must be
tapped.

This is accomplished by desuggesting the
psychological barriers learners bring with them
to the learning situation.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER?
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE STUDENTS?

The teacher is the authority in the classroom.

In order for the method to be successful, the students
must trust and respect the teacher.

The students will retain information better from
someone in whom they have since they will be more
responsive to her 'desuggesting' their limitations and
suggesting how easy it will be for them to succeed.

Once the students trust the teacher, they can feel more
secure. If they feel secure, they can be more
spontaneous and less inhibited.
RELAXATION
An examination of the Suggestopedia
literature revealed that in studies where
relaxation is a major independent variable,
rather than just one element of
Suggestopedia, only one study indicated a
clear improvement in performance for the
experimental group over the control group
Table 1:The results of studies utilising relaxation
as a major independent variable
Study
Major
independent
variables
Control
group
Random
allocation
Results
Biggers &
Stricherz, 1976
Relaxation
yes
yes
Negative effect
Martin & Schuster,
1977
Relaxation and
tension induction
yes
yes
No significant
difference
Alexander, 1982
Relaxation, music
no
no
No significant
difference
Gamble et al.,
1982
Relaxation, music
yes
yes
Limited support
Johnson, l982
Relaxation
yes
yes
Positive effect
Wagner & Tilney,
1983
Relaxation, music,
"mind-calming"
yes
yes
No significant
effect
Render, Hall &
Moon, 1984
Relaxation, music
yes
yes
No significant
effect
Zeiss, 1984
Relaxation, music
oral intonation
yes
yes
Limited support
Music
Another one major independent variables is
Music. Of the nine studies examined, four
achieved significant increases in
performance while the remaining studies
demonstrated no clear advantage with
music (see Table 2).
Table 2: The results of studies utilising
music as a major independent variable
Study
Major independent
variables
Contro
l
group
Random
allocatio
n
Results
Bordon & Schuster, 1976
Music, breathing, suggestion
positive atmosphere
yes
yes
Positive effect
Schuster & Vincent, 1980
Music
no
no
Positive effect
Alexander, 1982
Music, relaxation
no
no
No significant effect
Gamble et al., 1982
Music, relaxation
yes
yes
No significant effect
Schuster & Mouzon, 1982
Music, suggestion
yes
yes
Positive effect
Stein et al., 1982
Music, imagery
yes
yes
No significant effect
Wagner & Tilney, 1983
Music, relaxation
yes
yes
No significant effect
Render et al., 1984
Music, relaxation
yes
yes
No significant effect
Zeiss, 1984
Music, relaxation,
oral intonation
yes
yes
No significant effect
ADVANTAGES
1/ LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
2/ THINKING HIGHLY OF STUDENTS’ FEELING
3/ THE EMPHASIS OF INTERACTION
4/ THE TREATMENTS TO STUDENTS’
MISTAKES
At the beginning levels, errors are not
corrected immediately because the
emphasis is on communication. When
errors of form occur, teachers uses the
correct form later on during class,
because immediate interference by the
teacher may destroy the relaxed
atmosphere in classes.
Disadvantages
1/ LACK OF FLEXIBILITY
De-suggestopedia emphasizes the relaxed,
no pressure learning environment, but it is
indeed lack of flexibility to some students
who are difficult to learn spontaneously,
and cause indolence on their learning.
OVER-EMPHASIZED OF LANGUAGE USE
De-suggetopeia emphasizes that it is more
important to let students learn a large
amount of vocabularies than grammars. It
believes that teacher should focus on the
use of language rather than type of
language. However, it may be overemphasized the use of language. And will
lead students to ignore the importance of
grammars. (styles of language)
ABSENCE OF TESTS
De-suggestopeia emphasizes to let
students learning in a relaxed
environment. The teachers will grade
students by their performance in class but
not the traditional test mode. However, it
may lead students lack pressure and may
lose the motivation on learning.
Review
Theory of Language
Method communication is a two-plane process:
language and linguistic message.
Role of the Students
To be childlike, participate in the activities, trust
and respect the Teacher. Moreover, Ss should be
relaxed following teacher’s instructions.
Role of the Teachers
To provide feeling of security for students
eliminating the barriers to learning; increase their
communicative ability.
Role of the content
To seem enjoyable and easy (vocabulary,
grammar and speaking).
Role of the objectives
To help students to learn to use a foreign language
for everyday communication.
Role of the activities
To carry out creative adaptation.
Role of the methodology
Desuggest the Students ‘s limitation in learning
Role of the assessment
To check students’ knowledge in-classperformances.
Role of the materials and resources
To engage learning by lowering the affective filter
of students.
Evaluation
Evaluation is conducted on
students' "in-class-performances"
and not through formal tests, which
would threaten the relaxed
atmosphere, which is considered
essential for accelerated learning.
Interactions
St-st” and “T-st” interactions
occur. Students often do "pair
work" and "group work".
Vocabulary Teaching
Vocabulary is emphasised. Claims about
the success of the method often focus
on the large number of words that can
be acquired. Comments and
explanations about the meanings can be
provided in student's L1
Grammar Teaching
Grammar is taught explicitly but
minimally. Explicit grammar rules
are provided in L1.
Skills
Oral communication is emphasised.
Speaking and listening are
important. Writing and reading are
also important.
~Thank You ~