Unusual techniques and promises to help one learn a language in a short time have always attracted a lot of attention. In this article, we will look at the popular methods that promise quick results with a small effort. Let’s start!
1. Hypnosis
A few years ago, hypnotherapy, a training under hypnosis, was at the peak of popularity. After all, the students always wanted to get the most knowledge with the least effort, and it seemed that hypnosis could help in this. Learning a foreign language by this method assumed, firstly, immersing the student in a state of hypnosis, and secondly, the presence of a qualified teacher-hypnologist who led the process of such training.
Nowadays, even some earlier practitioners of this method state that its effectiveness is low, especially given the time and costs. But as an option, working with a psychologist in parallel with classes can often help increase the effectiveness of learning a new language, for example, for students with problems with concentration or the presence of learning-blocking biases.
2. Learning a language while sleeping (hypnopedia)
It’s no secret that our brain works even during sleep. But can we use the resting time for active learning? The authors of the method of studying in a dream, created in ancient India, were sure that yes. Modern teachers using hypnopedia record audio of foreign words, phrases, or even whole stories, and students turn on the recording when going to sleep.
Of course, it is assumed that a student will listen to this audio not only in a dream but also during wakefulness. In this technique, night listening is used only as repetition and consolidation of the material, that is, you will still have to study during the day.
The results of the studies of this method are contradictory: some scientists detected the brain’s reaction to a voice, others, on the contrary, denied the effectiveness of hypnopedia. Given that we are usually very busy during the day, and during that time our brain is working hard, we believe that quality rest is more useful than listening to audio in a dream, thus we do not advise you to abuse this method.
3. The 25th frame effect
In the middle of the twentieth century, the American psychologist James Vickery created a theory according to which the human brain can process only 24 frames per second, and the 25th is perceived unconsciously. Based on this idea, teachers have developed a new method of learning language, in which a student should spend only 30 minutes a day watching a video, and in a few months, this student will have an impressive vocabulary.
Unfortunately for the creators, this method did not find popularity. On the one hand, it was incomplete, since attention was paid only to vocabulary, and on the other hand, there was no scientific confirmation of the effectiveness of the 25th frame technique.
4. Jump and learn
МThe method of full physical response was created in the 60s by the American psychologist James Usher. This technique was born after the author observed children mastering speech. The psychologist noticed that children memorize words and expressions while constantly being in motion, and decided that this learning method can help adults too.
The essence of the technique was to memorize words and phrases in parallel with physical activity. Although the theoretical basis of the method has long been outdated, some of its details are still used by teachers around the world. For example, when studying vocabulary related to movements (“get up”, “sit down”, etc.), a teacher can ask students to perform these actions for better memorization.
Teachers have always been interested in the success of their students, so they strive to create a magical technique that helps effective learning. Although many methods do not stand up to criticism or quickly lose popularity, in almost every one of them you can find something interesting or useful for students and bring it to your lessons. At the moment, the most effective seems to be the “combined” or individual method where each teacher adjusts the program to their students, taking into account their desires and capabilities. Therefore, our advice to students is not to look for a “magic pill”, but to look for a magic teacher, and you will succeed!