AL in Foreign Language Instruction

Schuster, D. (1976). A preliminary evaluation of the suggestive-accelerative Lozanov method in teaching beginning Spanish. The Journal of Suggestive-Accelerative Learning and Teaching, 1 (1), 41-47.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the Lozanov method for teaching college-level Spanish in a controlled situation. Students in the experimental section received a beginning Spanish class using components of the Lozanov method; two other comparable sections utilized a conventional way to teach Spanish, but with the same textbook in all sections. The results, which were measured by common lecture and laboratory final exams, indicated a time savings of 3:1. Although the experimental group received one-third the amount of instructional time as the two control groups, the results measured by common lecture and laboratory final exams, showed no significant difference in achievement between the experimental and control groups test scores.

Klockner, K. (1984). Suggestopedia applied to an English-a-a-Second Language setting, The Journal of the Society for Accelerative Learning and Teaching ,9 (1), 61-78.

Klockner reported on an experimental English-as-a-Second Language class, which used Accelerated Learning/Suggestopedia to teach Indochinese refugees English. The rate of learning increased five fold on the average, and even more for the elderly students, as compared to the rate of learning the institute’s Indochinese students had experienced before the Institute’s decision to teach a class using the Suggestopedic model with their students. In only 90 classroom hours the adults participating in this Accelerated Learning/Suggestopedic class had accomplished what experienced, qualified ESL teachers find to be achieved, normally after 540 hours or more of classroom attendance.

LeHecka, C. (1992). Rapid language learning: A must for the 21 st century. Innotech Journal,
16 (1) , 62-73.

A pilot study was conducted in the summer of 1987 by the International Center for Health and Education (ICHE) with high school students from Kingwood High School . using the University of Houston Accelerated Learning Program (UHALP) materials and staff. The question the study posed was: What level of proficiency can be obtained on oral, listening, and written standardized tests by high school students (grades 9-12) in a three-week, 96 hour German course when taught by Accelerated Learning methods?

Of the eight students who completed the course, all had a novice-mid level rating on the Oral Proficiency Test. On the MLA-Cooperative Foreign Language Test, German Listening Test, Form LA, the class average of the seven beginners was the 65 th percentile when compared to students who had one year of German taught by audio-lingual methods. They had achieved as much or more in a 96-hour course than 64 percent of the students who had taken a full year in a regular high school German course. (Students in full high school courses spend approximately 180 hours in class.) They also scored at the 42 nd percentile on the MLA Writing Test and 34 th percentile on the MLA Reading Test, although the emphasis on the course was not on reading and writing.

Student evaluations included these responses to the question, “What did you like best about the German class?”

…The “want” to learn. The class was made interesting. One was motivated to learn because learning under this technique was made easy.

…I liked the light-hearted attitude of the class, the games we played and the visual aids.

…The lack of busywork. We didn’t repeat things unnecessarily like we do in school. I loved the visual aids, the songs, and the games. I was really excited to come each day.

…I never felt bored in the class. I loved the relaxation exercises. I feel that I am more optimistic after this than before, as well as feeling more at peace with myself (LeHecka, 1992, p. 66).

Palmer, L & Dhority, L. (1993). The 636% Solution Paradigm: A statistical evaluation of the extraordinary effectiveness of Lynn Dhority’s U.S. Army Accelerated Learning German class. Journal of the Society for Accelerative Learning and Teaching, 18 (3&4), 237-246.

Dhority, at German professor at the University of Massachusetts used his version of Accelerated Learning to teach a course for Special Forces at Fort Deven . Compared with previous control groups taught conventionally, the experimental class achieved posttest scores more than double those of the controls, and within one-third the amount of instructional time. These results represent increases in training effectiveness of 636% to 739% compared to three previous control groups

Chavez, A. (Oct, 2001). Report on findings of Galena Park ISD Newcomer Program for Non-English Speaking students . (Chavez, personal communication, October, 2001)

The Galena Park Independent School District has been utilizing an Accelerated Learning method in its Newcomer Program for Non-English Speaking Students. In order to qualify for this semester–long program students must have no knowledge of English. On the first day of school, non-English speakers are tested using two tests from the Texas Education Agency. The students are given Form C of the IPTI test at the beginning of the year and Form D of the IPTI test at the end of the semester. The following results were reported from one of the middle schools: Of the thirteen students in the class, one student gained a year’s growth in one semester, seven students gained three year’s growth, two gained four year’s growth, one gained five years growth and two gained six year’s growth as measured by the IPTI test. One of the high schools reported the following results: Of the twelve students in the high school Newcomer Program, one student demonstrated two years growth, six students demonstrated three years growth, four students demonstrated four years growth and one student demonstrated five years growth in a semester. These findings were based on the results of the student’s scores on the IPTI test.