Suggestopedia: Exploring EFL Teaching Methodology & Application

This essay delves into Suggestopedia, a teaching methodology developed by Georgi Lozanov in 1970 for foreign language learning. It discusses the method's focus on creating a comfortable and confident learning environment through desuggestive techniques and the integration of Baroque music to relax the mind. The essay outlines the underlying theories and principles of Suggestopedia, emphasizing the importance of love, freedom, and teacher prestige, and details the three stages of the method: presentation, concert (active and passive), and practice. It also highlights the potential of Suggestopedia to enhance students' learning abilities and address teaching weaknesses, particularly in engaging students and delivering advanced proficiency in foreign languages, making it a valuable resource for educators and learners alike.

Running head: Suggestopedia (as teaching method for learning EFL)
Suggestopedia (as teaching method for learning EFL)

Suggestopedia (as teaching method for learning EFL) 1
Contents
Part -1..........................................................................................................................................................2
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................2
Part -2..........................................................................................................................................................3
What is suggestopedia?...............................................................................................................................3
Bibliography................................................................................................................................................5

Suggestopedia (as teaching method for learning EFL) 2
Part -1
Introduction
Teachers should exhibit their creativity by using various teaching methodologies in the
classroom. They have to choose a particular method to transfer the knowledge as they are
confronted with various situations and different types of students in the classroom. So, they must
choose a method which motivates the students to learn and enhances their learning ability. In
this context, the experimental choice of teaching in the context of learners as well as the
professional development of the teachers is suggestopedia.
Since I am not good at completely involving the students in the teaching due to which the
students become less enthusiastic and creative about their learning experience. This is the
teaching weakness I have struggled with. In my opinion, suggestopedia can be used to teach the
foreign languages to the students which are more appropriate as compared to three to five times
with the conventional methods (Hall, 2017:3).
The major characteristic of this method is the use of music to relax the students. The classroom is
arranged and decorated with furniture in such a way that it becomes easy for the students to learn
and communicate with the teachers. The teachers play a crucial role and they are the source of all
the information which is to be imparted to the students.
Another weakness is my limited knowledge of the principles of English as a foreign language. I
think suggetopedia can resolve my problem by delivering advanced proficiency which is related
with the conversation of the teachers with the students in a quick manner (Richards & Rodgers,
2014: 83).

Suggestopedia (as teaching method for learning EFL) 3
Part -2
What is suggestopedia?
Suggestopedia is a methodology of teaching which was developed by Bulgarian psychotherapist
Georgi Lozanov in 1970. It is used for learning foreign languages. It applies the concept of
positive suggestion in teaching methods. This method focuses on desuggestive learning methods
so that the students feel more confident and comfortable while learning the languages
(McLaughlin, 2013: 13).
Suggestopedia provides a comfortable environment in the classroom. The chairs are arranged in
a semicircle facing the board so that the students can pay more attention to the teacher and they
get more relaxed while learning. In this way, the teachers, as well as the students, are more
relaxed and they can understand the technique in a better way. Music is also used for teaching in
this method. Baroque music with the specific tune and 60 beats per minute is played which helps
in relaxing the mind so that it can store the maximum study material in it.
The underlying theories and principles of suggestopedia are divided into general and specific
laws. The former acts as a pre-condition and the latter exhibit the content and direction of the
pedagogic procedures and material. All the laws are based on the feelings of love, freedom and
the high personal and professional prestige of the teacher.
The general laws pertain to the emotions of love, freedom and prestige. They are the
prerequisites for guaranteeing and facilitating the functions of the specific regulations of
Suggestopedia . Love as described in the suggestopedic learning can be interpreted as sincere
love and respect for the learners.

Suggestopedia (as teaching method for learning EFL) 4
For the teachers, it can be depicted as love for their profession and for knowledge, art, life and
nature. It also shows love and mutual respect for human beings and development for the
independence of the learners. Freedom can be interpreted as liberty from fears and anxiety
related to learning. It also considers liberty to communicate and build relationships in the
teaching and learning procedures.
The specific laws are related to the increased amount of study material as compared to the
traditional methods of teaching. It is formulated into global units followed by the enlargement of
lexical and grammatical information and clustering around topics and situation which is woven
around the storyline in the textbook (Byram & Hu, 2013:422).
There are three stages in the suggestopedia method viz. presentation, concert and practice.
Presentation forms the basis of executing suggestopedia in the class in a successful manner. Its
aim is to help the students so that they are relaxed and move into a positive state of mind. It
makes them feel that learning is an easy and funny thing to do.
The concert is divided into two stages: the first concert and second concert. The former refers to
the active presentation of the matter to be learned by the students. It comprises dialogues
complemented by lists of vocabulary and notes on the grammatical points (Vandergrift & Goh,
2012: 217).
In the case of the second concert, the students are instructed to relax by listening to some
Baroque music along with the text being studied in a silent manner in the background. During
this, the students would be seated in a comfortable background. The last phase practice refers to
the use of role plays, puzzles and games to review and combine the learning methods.

Suggestopedia (as teaching method for learning EFL) 5
Bibliography
Byram, M. & Hu, A. (2013). Routledge encyclopedia of language teaching and learning. NY:
Routledge. 422
Hall, G. (2017). Exploring English language teaching: Language in action. NY : Routledge. 3.
McLaughlin, B. (2013). Second language acquisition in childhood: Volume 2: School-age
Children. NY: Psychology Press. 13.
Richards, J. C. & Rodgers, T. S. (2014). Approaches and methods in language teaching. UK:
Cambridge university press.83.
Vandergrift, L. & Goh, C. C. (2012). Teaching and learning second language listening:
Metacognition in action. UK: Routledge.217.