SUGGESTOPEDIA

Teacher should be creative in using different kinds of teaching method. They have to
choose an appropriate method to transfer the knowledge because they will find
different situation and different students in the class.Suggestopedia is a teaching
method, which focuses on how to deal with the relationship between mental potential
and learning ability and it is very appropriate to use in teaching speaking for young
language learners Suggestopedia is an effective comprehensible input based method
with a combination of desuggestion and suggestion to achieve super learning.

Theory of Language

Lozanov does not articulate a theory of language, nor does it seem he is much
concerned with any particular assumptions regarding language elements and
their organization. Lozanov emphasizes the importance of experiencing
language material in “whole meaningful texts” (Lozanov 1978:268) and notes
that the suggestopedia course directs “the student not to vocabulary
memorization and acquiring habits of speech, but to acts of communication”
(Lozanov 1978:109). Lozanov refers most often to the language to be learned
as “the material.”

Theory of Learning

Suggestion is at the heart of Suggestopedia. Lozanov claims that his method is

different from hypnosis and other forms of mind control because they lack a
“desuggestive-suggestive sense” and “fail to create a constant set up to
reserves through concentrative psycho-relaxation” (1978:267). (Reserves are
like human memory banks) There are some principal theoretical components
through which desuggestion and suggestion operate and that set up access to
reserves.

Key Features of Suggestopedia

 Comfortable environment In the classroom is not the same as common

 The use of music One of the most uniqueness of this method is the use of
Baroque music during the learning process.
 Free Errors In the teaching learning process, students who make mistakes
are tolerated The emphasis is on the content not the structure.
 Homework is limited
 Music, drama and art are integrated in the learning process as often as
possible.
 Types of Learning and Teaching Activities

Teacher’s Roles

Teacher should create situations in which learners are most suggestible and
then to present linguistic material in a way most likely to encourage positive
reception and retention by learners.

1. Show absolute confidence in the method.

2. Maintain a solemn attitude towards the session.
3. Stress global rather than analytical attitudes towards material.
4. Maintain a modest enthusiasm.
Learners’ Roles

The learners as well are should have “faith in the system and accept that they
are in a childlike situation where they follow the teacher / parent” . The
students should not be critical, but simply absorb what is presented to them.

Advantages of Suggestopedia

There are some benefits in utilizing suggestopedia:

1. A comprehesible input based on dessugestion and suggestion principle

By using this suggestopedia method, students can lower their affective filter.
Suggestopedia classes, in addition, are held in ordinary rooms with
comfortable chairs, a practice that may also help them relaxed. Teacher can do
numerous other things to lower the affective filter.

1. Authority concept
Students remember best and are most influenced by information coming from
an authoritative source, teachers.

1. Double-planedness theory
It refers to the learning from two aspects. They are the conscious aspect and
the subconscious one. Students can acquire the aim of teaching instruction
from both direct instruction and environment in which the teaching takes
place.

1. Peripheral learning
Suggestopedia encourages the students to apply language more
independently, takes more personal responsibility for their own learning and
get more confidence.  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.

Disadvantages of Suggestopedia

Suggestopedia also has limitation The main disadvantages of suggestopedia

are as follow:

1. Environment limitation There should be 12 students in the class

1. The use of hypnosis
Some people say that suggestopedia uses a hypnosis, so it has bad deep effects
for human beings. Lazanov strongly denied about it.

1. Infantilization learning
Suggestopedia class is conditioned be child-like situation. There are some
students who do not like to be treated like this as they think that thay are
mature.

The role of instructional materials

Materials consist of direct support materials , primarily text and tape, and indirect
support materials, including classroom fixtures and music.

CONCLUSION

Teacher will find different situation and different types of students in learning.
Therefore, teacher should be creative and smart in choosing and using different types
of methods in teaching different skill of language. Teacher can use suggestopedia as
teaching method in their teaching. Using suggestopedia is very interesting but
challenging to do. It can be seen from some considerations. In one side it has some
benefits, but on the other side it also has some weaknesses.