Applications of Suggestopedia

Dr. Franz Beer Report

Written by Dr. Franz Beer, (1985): Bericht übr das Schulexperiment: Suggestopädie in der Grundschule; published in Neues Lernen Journal, 1, 29-55; translated by Stavroula Soubassi, Athens.

(taken from page 25-27)

Parts of this article:

Part 1: All subjects

Part 2: L1 Reading

Part 3: L1 Writing

Part 4: Mathematics

 

Part 1: Basic principles for the teaching of all subjects in the 1st grade

1. Integration of means

The psychological, didactic and artistic aspects of the suggestopedic means should always build up a whole. It is not advisable to place special emphasis on a different aspect at particular moments. In each situation the teacher should be applying all three means as a whole complex.

For instance, if in the first phase the whole weight falls upon the joy of the children from the performance and the didactic material is presented as a formal compulsory task, it is suggested that this phase is a goal in itself and not a means for the introduction of the new material and the motivation of the children. In much the same way, when in the third phase too much attention is drawn to the teaching process, the impact of the artistic means is undermined and suggestopedic teaching can not be distinguished from traditional teaching.

2. Integration of phases

Each of the four phases of the suggestopedic lesson cycle should smoothly lead to the next one and must remind the children of the previous one. The elements of one phase should be contained in the next one in a weaker form and create joy in their recognition. Similarly, elements of the next phase should be subliminally present in the previous phase and create anticipation for the next phase.

So, for example, in the third phase, which aims at the elaboration of the material presented in the first and second phases, there must feature all the crucial moments from the precious phases while at the same time the elements of the third phase somehow form a bridge to the fourth phase. The teacher should proceed from the fairy tale, the play and the song to the didactic material while all the time alluding to the artistic and emotional aspects of the previous phases. Such artistic and psychological elements should not be absent from the fourth phase either; otherwise this last phase will be reduced to dry repetition and consolidation of the teaching material.

3. Integration of themes

The individual themes need not only follow each other coherently but also reflect each other in various ways. Aspects of each theme should be dealt with during the elaboration of the previous themes. Overlapping elements of each theme are present in each of the previous units and form the basis for the passage to the next unit. So, each teaching objective should not be dealt with in isolated themes but throughout the six themes cycle. In Mathematics, for example, the set theory cannot be taught only in the first theme but it is to be further illustrated, enriched, and more profoundly understood in the next themes. Also the geometry material which is basically introduced in the second theme has already been unnoticeably presented in a simplified form in the first theme. While learning numbers, which is also the objective in the second theme, children can start performing additions and subtractions, which are the main objective of the third theme. In the third theme they start multiplying and counting up larger amounts, which is the objective of the fourth theme, etc.

Separate calculations such as the addition and the subtraction, the multiplication and the division should be treated as control acts of one calculation process through the other. In this way each moment of the programme reflects all the previous ones and leads to the next ones.

4. Integration of subjects

Suggestopedia is only then a really global educational system if it can integrate the knowledge from all the subjects in the curriculum, in the case of primary education mathematics, reading, writing, handcrafts, drawing, physical education and music.  During the teaching of each subject, elements from the other subjects should be introduced as well as examples from real life. This does not mean that the subject specific knowledge and exercises should be made redundant but that the lesson should be brought closer to life.

The integration of means, phases, themes and subjects is essential for the psychological health of the learners. It creates joy at the learning process in that it satisfies the basic human need for knowledge acquisition and helps overcome a number of negative psychological conditions associated with school, the so-called didactogenic diseases (school fear, stress, exam anxiety, lack of interest, inertia, apathy towards learning, etc)

NOTE: To further enhance the sense of continuity among themes, phases, subjects and means, classical music was played at the background of all lessons for the first half of the school year. To avoid that the element of the music becomes nearly a fetish element, it was gradually withdrawn and used only at the introduction of new material and while children were working silently, e.g. at reading.

Part 2: L1 Reading

Bericht über den Schulversuch ‘Suggestopädie in der Grundschule’  Dr. Franz Beer. (page 17 – 20)

The Reading Programme

Phase A’ On the third day of school posters with drawings were hung in all experimental classrooms for ‘decoration’. Under each drawing there stood a word or phrase describing the image shown. The posters were hung in two series:

1^st series images: hunter, bear, Christmas tree, quince, dolphin, sun, ape, donkey, nut, socks, ear, snail, frog, clock, table, train

2^nd series images: snowman, ice cream, rose, mouse, mug, sugar, lion, pair of scales, puppet, fire, house, spider, fork

Phrases: the cat chases the mouse, the ape eats ice cream, the donkey carries a table, etc.

The posters were kept on display in the classrooms for two days but the attention of the children was never drawn to them by the teacher.

Phase B’ At the end of the second day the posters are taken down and  are shown to the children in a jumbled order while making sure that the images corresponding to the words or phrases are hidden. The children are trying to read the words or phrases at first in chorus and then individually. Finally they are given worksheets with the following tasks:

1. find the missing word or phrase corresponding to this image
2. find the missing image corresponding to this word or phrase
3. read this word or phrase aloud

Phase C’ The second series of posters is hung in the classrooms for the two following days. The same procedure is followed as described above.

Phase D’ The words and phrases contained in the posters are used in a read- quickly exercise with the help of the overhead projector. The children are reading first in chorus and then individually. The order of the words and of the children taking turns in reading is changed all the time.

Phase E’ The words and phrases just learnt are connected with new words to form new phrases. For instance, from the phrase ‘the cat chases the mouse’ two or more new phrases can be derived by adding a new word, e.g. ‘the dog chases the cat’ or ‘the dog chases the mouse’. Again the children are reading at first in chorus and then individually. It is important not to draw the children’s attention on individual syllables or letters yet. The point is to read the whole words or phrases. Meanwhile, however, the teacher explains that the words are made up of smaller units, called letters.

Phase F’          Didactic plays and operas

A part of these newly acquired words and some new ones are utilised in didactic plays and operas in such a way that they become crucial to the development of the plot and the solution of a major problem. Children and teachers take then part in the play or opera and help the actors and actresses to reach the solution by supplying them with the necessary word or phrase. The aim of this activity is to give the children the feeling that reading can be really enjoyable and quite easy. In the same play children are offered material from the mathematics syllabus at the same time as they are practicing reading.

Phase G’   Short poems and prose, rhymes and other texts consisting mainly of known words and phrases with a positive message concerning learning are read in chorus and individually. The children are asked to follow the texts with their index fingers, even if they do not know a word. These texts are given in print and are also projected overhead.

NOTE: the whole work so far lasts for about 10 days

Phase H’ Fables and fairy tales are read in which many of the known words are contained along with two or three new words in each sentence. Again choral reading is followed by individual reading.

Phase I’ Small children’s books are read, which are suitable to the reading level and the age of the children. They may contain the words already learnt as well as a lot of new words.

At the beginning the children and the teacher are reading together in chorus, gradually the teacher stops reading and lets the children continue in chorus on their own. Before totally receding, the teacher varies the volume of their voice while reading together with the children and is always on the alert to join them again whenever the children seem to need it. The whole procedure follows the principles of unnoticed fading scaffolding.

The texts should be short, emotional and rhythmic. The reading tempo is constantly increasing. The aim is that children learn how to read quickly without reading syllable per syllable but connecting smaller with bigger words instead. At this stage choral reading is giving its place to individual reading. Each text is read at most twice so that memorisation and mechanical reading is avoided. To this purpose, the children narrate briefly what they have read in each text.

Texts without a positive emotional content should be avoided. After having read a beginner’s series of easy texts, more demanding texts from children’s books available at bookstores should be selected. The aim is to read as many books as possible without spending too long a while on one book but moving on to a new book the soonest possible. The vocabulary learnt daily should be repeated in each new text in always new contexts while acquiring new words at the same time.

Children who are making great progress in reading may start reading more demanding texts silently and narrate their content to their classmates at the end of the lesson. Meanwhile the class continues reading new books in groups. Gradually there is a progress from plain reading to artistic and expressive reciting of texts.

Methodological Explanations:

The proposed reading programme resembles at first glance the total word reading method but there are only superficial similarities between them.  There are a number of crucial differences between them. On top of all, the Suggestopedic reading system differs from the total word method in the integration of the three basic teaching principles that it proposes:

1. The process of integrating the material in words and phrases follows in the Suggestopedic system the principle of the integration of psychological and artistic means. This means that the larger units are formed with respect to their psychological and aesthetic impact on the personality of the children. The reading material should always convey positive and pleasant messages.
2. The whole words and phrases are initially offered as peripheral learning material, which is not imposed on the children but ‘suggested’ in the form of decoration posters. Great emphasis is given on the emotional response of the children to their first reading material which should not appear as frightening or tiring.
3. The children do not over elaborate the phrases they are reading in which individual words are being replaced. Instead, they quickly move on to new texts and books all the time.
4. The children are initially instructed to conceive the word as a whole but they are also informed that words are made up of letters. The initial letter of each word is highlighted as an outstanding element of the word on the poster. The visual and aural analysis of individual letters is of secondary importance but as sensory stimuli they are received and processed simultaneously with the whole word. They are given equal emphasis. Consequently, the Suggestopedic approach is not only global-partial but also partial-global at the same time.
5. The synchronised group reading with its melody, rhythm, accelerating tempo and the unnoticed fading scaffolding of the teacher has a suggestive effect on the children and renders the methodological approach more natural.

In short, the Suggestopedic reading programme is a natural method which follows the natural learning-by-varied-repetition process of young children acquiring their mother tongue. This is the main reason why the progress children make in reading using this method is far more accelerated than with other methods.

Part 3: L1 Writing

Bericht über den Schulversuch ‘Suggestopädie in der Grundschule’  Dr. Franz Beer (page 21)

The Writing Programme in the 1st grade

The writing instruction procedure follows the same basic principle of integrated global teaching units as well as the three Suggestopedic principles and means.

The opera performances contain material for the writing lesson as well.

A writing lesson can be outlined as follows:

1. The teacher writes a short emotional sentence on the board.
2. The teacher analyses briefly the content and structure of the sentence (smaller units such as words, syllables and letters)
3. The pupils copy the whole sentence in their notebooks.
4. The teacher checks the work of the pupils individually and advises them to correct their mistakes and rewrite the sentence in the correct form.
5. The pupils write the sentence again in the form of a dictation exercise.
6. The teacher dictates similar sentences with many words in common with the original sentence.
7. Gradually the pupils write more difficult and longer texts on dictation.
8. Finally the pupils write their own texts creatively with musical prompts.

NOTE

The writing sessions should by no means lead to boredom. Children must be given interesting and challenging as well as affective texts to write upon dictation or to create. Background music can be a key role to this purpose.

Part 4: Mathematics

Bericht über den Schulversuch ‘Suggestopädie in der Grundschule’  Dr. Franz Beer (page 22-25)

The Mathematics Programme for the 1st grade

Apply in all subjects

Great emphasis is given on the relevance of the maths lesson to real life as well as on the cross-curricular links. During the Art or the P.E. lesson, for instance, there are many moments at which children may notice that the knowledge they have gained from the maths lesson is not only useful but also interesting. Such links must be made carefully and unnoticeably so that the children make these associations spontaneously and enthusiastically and not having the feeling that they are given extra exercises.

The syllabus for the experimental Suggestopedic programme for the 1^st grade comprises the material in the state syllabus for both the first two grades while there is also a part of the syllabus for the 3^rd grade introduced in the first year.

The whole material is functionally organised in six global themes, each of which is taught in four phases:

Phase A’ The operas, operettas and plays contribute to the introduction of the most important issues of each new theme. The performances are held by performers specialised in Suggestopedic didactic art. The content of the plays are derived from fables and fairy tales suitable for children.

The mathematics material is incorporated in crucial moments of the plot with great suspense and emotional tension in such a way that the children do not notice them but perceive them as important for the solution of the conflicts in the plot.

As the performance goes on the children are encouraged to participate in the play offering ideas for the solution of the problems and taking initiatives for the development of the plot.

Before the performance the teachers have hung posters in the classroom with the most important material that can be used by the children to contribute to the play. Other than this, the children’s attention is not drawn to the posters at all.

Phase B’   On the following day the children narrate or act out what they have experienced while the teacher encourages them to repeat the teacher material from the crucial moments in the plot in different contexts as well, in the form of rhymes, songs and poems.

Phase C’   Again on the following day the lesson elaborates the same material in the form of didactic games. The aim of this phase is to help the children generalise from the numerous examples from the different contexts (plays, songs, etc) and deduce general rules. For instance, the children are led to realise that the process of calculating 6+7 follows the same rule as calculating 16+7 and 116+7.

Phase D’    On the following days for one hour daily the children are helped to consolidate their knowledge, to understand some issues deeper and to carry out creative tasks.  At the same time this is the phase in which the teacher can evaluate by means of unnoticeable testing in the form of games the learning of the pupils in order to design remedial activities. The criterion of progress made on average at each theme is a minimum of 75% success in the tests. If this is achieved, the class may go on to the new theme. Experience has proven that the whole syllabus can be mastered in 60 lessons on average which corresponds to about 10 lessons per theme.

It is of utmost importance that the teachers’ overall behaviour suggests to the children that the material is very easy to learn. The lesson should take place in a joyful and enthusiastic atmosphere. The children should be made aware of their successes at all times.

During the first half of the school year there is no homework because this would suggest that learning is not occurring spontaneously but demands heavy work. Moreover, homework assignments are not very helpful to Suggestopedic teaching because of the tendency of parents to demand more and more from their children and to help them with their homework, interfering thus with the work of the teacher.  When a child brings the teacher a task that they have spontaneously taken the initiative to do at home, they are rewarded but they are not encouraged to work at home on a regular basis, even if they wish so themselves.

The introduction of the children in the syllabus material is expected to take place naturally without their noticing and while they are having fun.  The parents are advised to send their children out shopping and require them to explain how much they have spent on what. All school knowledge should be practically applied to daily life. Not through examination like situations but through practical successes are children to be positively motivated to learn.

Children’s errors must be corrected very carefully and tactfully so that they do not notice their errors so much as the correct forms, which are to be highlighted and underlined.

The children should regularly be taken to museums, exhibitions and other places of child interest, where they have the opportunity to discover for themselves how useful the newly acquired skills are. Such visits are advisable already at the beginning of the school year to motivate the children to learn.

All exercises given to the children at school should be relevant to the global theme being dealt with. The textual formulations of the tasks should describe interesting and stimulating child like situations in order to make the tasks seem exciting to the children and increase their motivation to tackle them. So, for example, in a class where there is strong interest in football, let’s say, it is a good idea to ask the children to report the latest scores and perform various mathematical calculations regarding the football players, the teams and their achievements.