NIM : A320190098

NAME : ZAKKIYYAN FURQAAN FATURRAHMAN

CLASS : B

SUBJECT : TEFL ( SW & SUGGESTOPEDIA )

The Silent Way ( SW )

Summary

The silent way (SW) is the name of a method of language teaching proposed by Dr. Celeb
Gettegno from Alexandria, Egypt who dedicated his life to education, especially adult literacy and
mathematics. Based on his experience, he then, also was interested in foreign language teaching. He
believed that good teaching must always conform to the demands of learning.

Silent way represents Gattegno’s venture into the field of foreign language teaching. It is
based the premise that “the teacher should be silent as much as possible in classroom and the learner
should be encouraged to produce much as language as possible”. (Richards an Rodgers, 1999: 99 ).
Since he believes tha to raise awareness, concentration, and mental organization. Gattegno designed a
number of “tools” used to raise learners awareness such as colored wooden sticks/rods called
Cuisenaire rods, series Words in color (i.e wall charts and phonic code charts or fidel ). Cuisenaire
rods were first developed by Georges Cuiseinair, a European educator for teaching of mathematics;
this gave him the idea for their use in language teaching. So, this is a picture of Cuisenaire rods or
colored rods and example, how to use the cuisenaire rods .

These tools are used as teaching media which permit clear insights into compllicated subjects that
explanation by teacher is not necessary. Gattegno claims that the processes of learning a second
language are “radically different” from those involved in learning a first language. The second
language learner “ cannot learn another language in the same way because of what he now
knows”(Gattegno 1978:11). The natural or direct method for teaching a second language is misguided
an artificial approach will replace the natural/ direct method. The artificial approach is based on the
principles that be successful learning involves commitment of the self to languuage acquisition.The
commitment of the self consist of two systems : learning and retaining. The learning system is
activated only by way of intelligent awareness. The retaining system allows us to recall the linguistics
elements and their grammatical rules which make linguistics communication possible. Remembering
is a matter of “paying ogdens” (an ogdens is a unit of mental energy required to link permanently two
mental elements such as a shape and a sound or a label and an object). Retention system through
mental awareness and thoughfulness is more efficient than through repetition. Retention links are in
fact formed in the most silent moment. Thus, silence is a way to retention.

Underlying principles

As the underlying theory Gattegno views language “as a substitute for experience, so
experience is what gives meaning to language” (Gattegno 1972: 8). Vocabulary is also central in
language learning and the choice of vocabulary is crucial. He distinguishes vocabulary into two
classes: the semi luxury and the luxury vocabulary. The semi luxury vocabulary consist of expression
common in the daily life of the target language culture such as food, clothing, travel, family life, and
so on. The luxury vocabulary is the one used in communicating more specialized ideas such as
political or philoshophical opinions. (Richards and rodgers 1999:101).

Apparently the SW method takes a structural approach for the organization of language to be
taught (syllabus). Language is seen as groups of sounds arbitrarily associated with specific meanings
and organized into sentences or string of meaningful units by grammar rules. The sentece is the basic
unit of teaching, and the teacher focuses on prepositional meaning rather than communicative value.

The silent way draws its learning theories from various educational psychologists such as
Bruner and Stevick. In general, the learning theories underlying the SW method could be stated as
follows: 1. Learning is facilitated if the learner discovers or creates rather than remembers and repeats
what is to be learned, 2. Learning is facilitated by accompanying (mediating) physical objects, 3.
Learning is faciliated by problem solving involving the material to be learned. (Richards and Rodgers
1999; 99-100). Which follows is the explanation of each :

1. Brunner (an educational psychologits) talks about two modes of teaching: expository and
hypothechtical modes. In the expository mode the teacher center of the class and the student
is the listener. In the hypothectical mode the teacher and the student are in cooperative
position.
2. The colored rods and the code pronounciation charts (fiidel charts). Provide physical foci for
student learning and also create memorable image to facilitate remembering.
3. The Sw uses tthe “problem-sloving approaches to learning”. The premis is based on the
words of Benjamin Franklin: “tell me and forget, teach me and I remember, and involve me
 and I learn”. In the SW the learner has to struggle with the problem of forming an approriate
adn meaningful utterance in a nnew language and this leads the acquisition of the language.
The learner is expected to become independent, auotonomous and responsible or a good
problem slover in language.

Classrom techniques

Classroom actiivities in the SW functions to encourage and shape student oral response
without direct instructions from and modeling by the teacher. The teacher simply models a word,
phrase,or sentence and then elicits learners response. Learners the go on to create their own utterances
by putting together old and new information. And much learning takes place in a group.

A silent way lesson typically follows a standard format. The first part of lesson focuses on
pronounciation. Depending on student level,the class might work on sounds, phrase, or even sentences
designated on the fidel chart. The sample lesson that follows (taken from larsen freeman,1986:52-56)
illustrates a typhical leson format :

1. Pronounciation/sound practice, the Silent Way teacher comes into classroom carrying with
him a box of colored rod and places them on his desk. For example, He, then, opens it and
takes one rod and shows it to the class while saying in the foreign language ( a rod ). He puts
it down in silence and picks up another red of a different color and says the same words again
[a rod]. He goes on through seven to eight rod and never asking for anything. The students
have attentively noted the events and heard some noises. The teacher then lifts a rod and asks
in mime for the sounds he has uttered. The teacher says 'a rod' and asks again in mime for
another effort from the class. When the student pronounces correctly, the teacher may smile
or nod; showing how content he is for being understood. Finally, the whole class repeats the
sound for [a rod]. Next, the teacher introduces different colors and says [a blue rod, a black
rod, a red rod, a yellow rod, a green rod, etc.]. The students are now practicing to utter the
foreign sounds for the six or seven objects. One rod replaces another rod; one utterance
replaces another and so on and so forth. This may be the end of the first lesson.
2. Structure and vocabulary practice, after practice with the sounds of the language,stucture,and
vocabulary are practiced. The teacher as two students to come forward and stand near him. He
turns to one student and say by foreign language ex, take a blue rod, take a green rod, etc.
Then, the teacher continues by saying ex, give me blue rod, etc. In the first new lessons such
activity becomes a framework of conventional handling of this teaching. But, in four or five
lessons the vocab will increased very little.
3. Visual and Oral Dictation, to promote the student’s awareness, a new tool and a technique are
used.
So, there are also different kinds of materials with different types of uses in the SW classroom :

 Ad hoc drawing, it is a material in the form of picture which can be used in such a way that
functional vacabulary already met can be practiced in new situations. The teacher can hang
the picture on the board while he is introducing each item by saying the word and or writing it
down. And the stuudents could write down on their own copy of the picture, and use them
orally in class and writing in their worksheets.
 Transparance, these can be prepared for general presentation. The series will serve as an
opportunity for widening of experience of the countries whose languages are being studied
and for oral work with the whole class. The drawings are used for introducing of sets of word
whereas the transparancies cover selected natural scenes and certain monuments of the
countries concerned.
 Worksheets, these can be given to students for use the transparances. The worksheets are used
to capture most of the vocabulary (from the transparances and pictures) which will bring the
words back into use.
 Films and television program, these can be used for material presentation. There are different
types of film to be used for this purpose such as films specially made for this approach and
films made for public. Such films can be used for linguistic education.
 Printed text, text can be used as bridgehead to extend the territory alredy conquered. There
are sveral types of texts : 1). A collection of sentences which are to be read separately. 2). A
collections of sentences, which is to be read consecutively. 3). A book of stories, which are
intended to start the students working on a text in order to analyze it. It gives the stuudents
opportunity for literaly study.
Mind map of SW
Questions and Items for Study and Discussion

1. What facilitates learning according to Gattegno?

2. What is the basic teaching aid used in the Silent Way?
3. What is the basic function of the wooden rod and the fidel charts?
4. Briefly explain the cardinal principles of the Silent Way?
5. Briefly explain the classroom procedure by the Silent Way?
6. Mention different materials used in the Silent Way!
7. Conduct a peer teaching on the SW; be sure to first prepare the material and lesson plan.

Answer :

1. a. Learning is facilitated if the learner discovers or creates rather than remembers and repeats
what is to be learned, b. Learning is facilitated by accompanying (mediating) physical
objects, b. Learning is faciliated by problem solving involving the material to be learned.
2. The colored rods, and the coded pronounciation charts known as Fidel charts
3. That is provide physical foci for student learning and also create memorable images to
facilitate remembering and these devices serve as associative mediators for students learning
and remembering.
4. The principles of SW is based on the underlying theory Gattegno views language “as a
substitute for experience, so experience is what gives meaning to language” (Gattegno 1972:
8). Vocabulary is also central in language learning and the choice of vocabulary is crucial. the
SW method takes a structural approach for the organization of language to be taught
(syllabus). The sentece is the basic unit of teaching, and the teacher focuses on prepositional
meaning rather than communicative value. And, The silent way draws its learning theories
from various educational psychologists such as Bruner and Stevick. In general, the learning
theories underlying the SW method could be stated as follows: 1. Learning is facilitated if the
learner discovers or creates rather than remembers and repeats what is to be learned, 2.
Learning is facilitated by accompanying (mediating) physical objects, 3. Learning is faciliated
by problem solving involving the material to be learned. (Richards and Rodgers 1999; 99-
100).
5. Classroom actiivities in the SW functions to encourage and shape sstudent oral response
without direct instructions from and modeling by the teacher. The teacher simply models a
word, phrase,or sentence and then elicits learners response. Learners the go on to create their
own utterances by putting together old and new information. And much learning takes place
in a group. And then, the SW lesson typically follows a standard format. The first part of
lesson focuses on pronounciation. Depending on student level,the class might work on
sounds, phrase, or even sentences designated on the fidel chart. This is sample or illustrates a
typical format by Larsen freeman,1986:52-56 :
 Pronounciation/sound practice
 Structure and vocabulary practice
 Visual and oral dictation
6. ad hoc drawing, Transparances, worksheets, films and television program, printed text
 Suggestopedia

Summary

Suggestopedia is a method of teaching developed by Georgi Lazanov (a Bulgarian

psychiatrist educator) in the 1970s. It is a teaching method which is based on a modern understanding
of how human brain works and how we can learn most effectively. Suggestopedia also loosely refers
to accelerated learning approaches. It first started purely as a psychological experiment aimed at
increasing memory capacities in the educational process. This experiment has opened the way for a
new trend in pedagogical practice. The term 'Suggestopedia' is derived from suggestion and pedagogy
which implies the application of the power of "suggestion" to the field of pedagogy.

Suggestopedia promised great results if we use our brain power and inner capacities since
Lozanov (1979) believed that we are capable of learning much more than we think. Learners may
have been using only 5 to 10 percent of their mental capacity, and that the brain could process and
retain much more material if given “optimal” conditions for learning. Lazanov (1978: 27) claims that
“memorization in learning by suggestopedic method sees to be increased 25 times over that in
learning by conventional methods”. Drawing on Soviet psychological research (i.e. yoga, extrasensory
perception), Lazanov came up with a method of learning used relaxation as a means of retaining new
knowledge and material. He tried to present vocabulary, readings, role-plays and drama with classical
music as the background while students sitting in comfortable seats. In this way, student became
“suggestible”, they could counteract the negative suggestions’ (i.e. anxiety, feelings of incompetence,
fear of making mistakes, or fear of things which are unfamiliar) which can inhibit learning. The
classroom atmosphere is extreme important as a tool to make the environment conducive for learning
such as decoration, music, the furniture, the authoritative behavior of the teacher.

Lazanov chose a ritual placebo system (in medical field, placebo means power which one
does not know he has to cure himself). Lazanov uses this system to give positive suggestion to the
students. Placebo does teach them when they credit them with the power to do so. As he believes that
most learning takes place in a relaxed but focused state. That's why a quiet learning environment is
very important.

Underlying principles

Lazanov does not discuss a lot about language theory used in suggestopedia. Through what he
hass recomended on the classroom activities, he apparantely views that vocabulary is central in
language and the grammar rules are used for organizing vocabulary. However, he does not suggest
that vocbulary and grammar rules can be learned through memorization; instead learners have to use
them in communicative context. The learning theory which underlies suggestopedia is as follows:
 1. Learning involves the unconscious as well as the conscious function of the learner, This
means that when one studies a particular vocabulary, for example, he may think consciously
about its equivalent in his mother tongue and he may unconsciously be aware of other things
related with it (i.e. other ideas, words, objects, or actions frequently associated with that word
in real life). . Lazanov (1980) refers to this as double planeness. The suggestopedic teacher,
therefore, needs to know what is going on both planes.
2. People can learn much faster than they usually do under certain condition, The term for this
phenomenon is hypermnesia or super memory. In suggestopedia, suggestion session within
classroom presentation is intended for that purpose. Lazanov has claimed experimental
subjects have learned the meanings of 1000 foreign words in a day.
3. Learning is often hindered by absent of psychic relaxation, It refers to what happens bio-
chemically inside the brain and even in other parts of the body. In the classroom. For
instance, the student’s energy and attention will be used to defend himself from whatever is
causing the ‘psychic tension’.

Classroom techniques

There are 4 Clasroom techniques :

1. Pre-session phase, it’s a preparatory stage in which students are helped to relax and move
into positive frame of mind, with the feeling that the learning is going to be easy and fun.
2. Explicative reading, this involves the active presentation of the material to be learnt, for
example a story. In this session the teacher also explains the meaning of words,
pronounciation, grammar, etc. To make students comprehend the story. Students follow along
on their handouts without repeating, but they are free to ask question. The sudents have copies
of the text in the target language and their mother tongue and refer to it as the teacher is
reading.
3. Intonational reading, in this session the teacher reads the text in the second time but this time
without explanations. This time the students are invited to relax, close their eyes but not sleep,
and just listen and the music is played. This is helps learners visualize context for the material
and aids in memorization.
4. The seance session, After a short break, the students are supposed to put away their dialogues,
reclined on their seats, close their eyes but not sleep and enjoy the concert of music that is
played from a tape recorder. After a few minutes of musical introduction, the entire dialogue
is read through in expensive form, without translation, but with accompaniment of the
classical music. The students follow the text in their textbooks. At the end, the students
silently leave the room without homework to do. They are only expected
to read the lesson cursorily once before going to bed, and getting up in the morning.
Question for study and discussion

1. Explain the following key features of suggestopedia !

 Classroom arrangement
 Classroom decoration
 The music
 Placebo system
 Double planedness
2. Explain the basic principles of suggestopedia !
3. Explain the ways to remove the pyschic tension used in suggestopedia !
4. Explain the classroom procedures using suggestopedia !
5. What do you think, then, suggestopedic teachers should qualify ?
6. Conduct a peer teaching on the Suggestopedia; be sure to first prepare the material and lesson
plan

Answer :

1. a. It means everything in the classroom was arranged such as the seats are comfortable with
reclining and arranged in circle or faced to the whiteboard in order to make students pay
more attention and get relaxed.
b. the decoration in suggesstopedia class usually has bright decor, use dim lights and the
walls decorated with scenes from a country where the target language is spoken.
c. the music in suggetopedia class use a classical music such as classical baroque music which
has a specific rhythm and pattrent of 60 beats per minute can make the body relaxes.
d. it’s such as ritual, in medical field placebo means power which one does not know he has
to cure himself. The purpose to give positive suggestion to the students.
e. 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
2. the underlies theory of suggestopedia, as follows :
 Learning involves the unconscious as well as the conscious function of the learner,
This means that when one studies a particular vocabulary.
 People can learn much faster than they usually do under certain condition, The term
for this phenomenon is hypermnesia or super memory. In suggestopedia, suggestion
session within classroom presentation is intended for that purpose. Lazanov has
claimed experimental subjects have learned the meanings of 1000 foreign words in a
day.
  Learning is often hindered by absent of psychic relaxation, It refers to what happens
bio-chemically inside the brain and even in other parts of the body. In the classroom.
For instance, the student’s energy and attention will be used to defend himself from
whatever is causing the ‘psychic tension’.
3. There are two ways to reduce or remove the psychic tension :
a) The design of the materials; the material consist of printed text in parallel nativve
language and target language versions and the teacher can give direct translation
when needed.
b) The behavior of the teacher; the student uses alternative identity in the classroom. For
example the student might be “the actrees Anne Mackey from that with the new name
or nick name the students can use it as a mask to hide behind. They are safer from
feeling evaluated, embarrassed, and anxiety. It such as brings an enjoyable learning
experience .
4. > Pre-session phase, it’s a preparatory stage in which students are helped to relax and move
into positive frame of mind, with the feeling that the learning is going to be easy and fun.
> Explicative reading, this involves the active presentation of the material to be learnt, for
example a story. In this session the teacher also explains the meaning of words,
pronounciation, grammar, etc. To make students comprehend the story.
> Intonational reading, in this session the teacher reads the text in the second time but this
time without explanations. This time the students are invited to relax, close their eyes but not
sleep, and just listen and the music is played. This is helps learners visualize context for the
material and aids in memorization.
> The seance session, After a short break, the students are supposed to put away their
dialogues, reclined on their seats, close their eyes but not sleep and enjoy the concert of music
that is played from a tape recorder. After a few minutes of musical introduction, the entire
dialogue is read through in expensive form, without translation, but with accompaniment of
the classical music.
5. I think, the teachers who use the suggestopedia method must qualify, because in this method
the role of the teacher is very important and dominant than the students. The teacher is
required to be able to make students relax which is quite difficult to do and the teacher must
be able to arrange the class so that students feel comfortable and can be suggested in
receiving learning. therefore teachers in the Sugesstopedia method must be qualify