Traditional ‘Accelerated Learning’
Reading time 2 mins
‘Accelerated Learning’ is any process that enhances your ability to learn better and more quickly. Most well-known forms of accelerated learning have their roots in the work of Dr. Georgi Lozanov at the University of Sophia in Bulgaria in the mid fifties.
The traditional Lozanov method has six key elements, although nowadays not all of these are considered necessary, and these are
De-suggest: Get rid of limiting beliefs about our capacity to learn
Relax: So that information is better absorbed
Map: Create a mental map of what is to be learned
Drama: Dramatic reading of the material to be learned
Calming music: listening, aided by music, to the material
Fun and games: to integrate the material by re-activating our child-like ability to learn rapidly and effortlessly.
Why use this?
Everything you experience is recorded in your memory.
The challenge is to be able to organise this information so that you can retrieve it efficiently. Accelerated Learning facilitates this process by enabling you to learn more efficiently, more effortlessly and more enjoyably.
Some of the methods, especially the relaxation and visualisation methods, also enhance health by reducing residual stress levels and enhance creativity by encouraging a state in which the body is relaxed and calm and both brain hemispheres working in harmony.
How Accelerated Learning works
Through accelerated learning you create stronger associations between the new material and that which is already recorded in your memory
These associations occur because the methods used make the material have more of an impact on the three main senses of seeing, hearing and feeling.
The accelerated learning methods also ensure that material is registered by both brain hemispheres and by both conscious and sub/unconscious parts of your mind.
Does Accelerated Learning work?
Dozens of universities world-wide are now researching Accelerated Learning.
The Finnish government uses the methods in all schools – so does the city of Chicago.
Shell, General Motors, Hilton Hotels and many US government agencies and embassies routinely use Accelerated Learning.
It can produce ‘at least 300% improvement in the speed and effectiveness of learning’ according to Dr. Schuster of Iowa State University.
UNESCO has acknowledged its effectiveness.
‘Educational Technology’ magazine said it is a tool that allows students to absorb and retain a two year language course in as few as twenty days… and that is destined to have a revolutionary impact on human resources.
‘Psychology’ magazine called it the key to the 21st Century.
Educational Psychologist Dr. Jean Houston said of it “we are just beginning to discover the virtually limitless capacities of the human mind”.
(Much of the above data is based on Colin Rose’s excellent book ‘Accelerated Learning’ – Topaz Publishing, 1985, and still available: http://www.acceleratedlearning.com/)
The Pegasus NLP Newsletter
Most articles on this site were first published in the Pegasus NLP Newsletter.
This has been published regularly since February 2000 – and you can subscribe to the newsletter here
And there will be no spam – I promise. You have trusted me with your email address I will use it for the Newsletter and for nothing else – and it will never be shared with anyone else. Ever. (Reg Connolly, founder of Pegasus NLP.)