Apr

Accelerated Learning Methods

Let have a panorama of accelerated learning methods available today.

Superlearning

Superlearning is an accelerated learning method developed by Sheila Ostrander and Lynn Schroeder based on the research and observation of the work of Doctor Georgi Lozanov (which developed Suggestopedia). The Superlearning® method is composed of several elements, none of the element can be left, this will cause the method not to work, in fact in the past and still today, people who failed with this method are those who discarded elements of it. Superlearning® is basically a way to absorb large amount of information in a way that promote long term retention and assimilation.

The method is composed of a relaxation part any relaxation method such as autogenic training or progressive relaxation will do fine. The second part occurs when you are relaxed enough, you use positive affirmations to promote accelerated learning. The next part is one of the most important, you have to breath in rhythm when the information to learn is delivered to you based on your breathing rhythm, the material is presented on a 8 seconds cycle.
Hold the breath - 4 seconds
Exhale – 2 seconds
Inhale – 2 seconds
Say that you want to study Spanish with Superlearning ® the sequence will look like this:

Seconds:
1 2 3 4 – 1 2 3 4
silence – to sleep, dormir
silence – to eat, comer

silence when you hold your breath and the material is delivered during the breathing cycle.
The last piece of the method is a kind of music used in the background during the session, this type of music promote relaxation and concentration. Some pieces of Baroque music by Haendel, Telemann , Vivaldi , Bach and Corelli. True Superlearning is not learning on music despite the populat belief, as you can see there are some steps involved and none can be skipped.

Photoreading

25,000 per minute this is the promise of PhotoReading if you manage to learn it, contrary to Superlearning, Photoreading has a longer learning curve depending on your ability it can take some weeks or months to master it. Developed by Paul R. Scheele, M.A. an expert in NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming) and accelerated learning. PhotoReading has 5 steps:

Step 1: State your purpose and enter a light state of trance, alpha state, which is called PhotoFocus state in PhotoReading parlance.

Step 2:This is called preview and there are 3 parts, survey the written material, pull out trigger words from the text and review your goals for going further so you will know exaclty on what to apply the method of photoreading.

Step 3: PhotoRead is the third step, where you enter theta state and go rapidly through the material.

Step 4:Activate, Activation method are used to restimulate the new neural connections you created by photoreading, rather than trying to force recall through the critical conscious mind.

Step 5:Rapid Read is when you want more of a book, so you rapid read it, it is like conventional reading with the benefit of being more flexible because you already got the most of the book with PhotoRead.

SuperReading

Super reading secrets is a book and an accelerated learning method develop by Howard Stephen Berg. According to the author, the method has a 8 weeks learning curve. The method is a combination of exercices to increase your reading speed (a page in 3 seconds the book promise), there are exercices to achieve better comprehesion of the material to read and exercices to memorize in a more efficient way.

Mind Mapping

There are many note taking systems, the linear outline traditional note taking is probably the most used. However, there is a more efficient method called Mind Mapping. A mind map is a diagram just like the one on the picture below:

The mind map connect ideas and thoughts through branch in a free flowing logically organized manner, this technique promote long term retention and use both hemispheres of your brain. If you are a student or have a lot of notetaking to make in your daily life, give a try to this method, it should change your experience of taking notes forever.
More information at: http://www.mind-map.com/EN/index.html

Technorati Tags: accelerated learning, Superlearning, Sheila Ostrander, Lynn Schroeder, Georgi Lozanov, Suggestopedia, Photoreading, PhotoRead, SuperReading, Mind Mapping