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Page 1 of 4 What is Accelerated Learning?Accelerated learning is a movement in the training and teaching world which has established itself, over the last 20 years or so, as an alternative to longer-existing, e.g. chalk and talk or pedagogical, models. It is based on the practical application of a number of theories and empirical observations from the world of social science and psychology. It does not have a single, unified theoretical basis. Origins of Accelerated Learning Accelerated learning traces its roots to Bulgaria. In the 1960s, a Bulgarian educational psychiatrist, Dr. Georgi Lozanov, was experimenting with non-traditional methods of teaching English to Bulgarian students (McKeon, 1995). Specifically, Lozanov discovered that the use of Baroque music could bring his students into a state of relaxed attentiveness. Today, similar to the effects of commercial advertising, this technique is referred to as "suggestopedia" (Russell, 1999, p. 186). The use of these techniques can increase the speed at which students learn. The increase in learning efficiency, as compared with traditional teaching methods, is achieved through engaging the whole body in the learning process (Lozanov, 1978). In the 1970s, Lozanov's work received the attention of Sheila Ostrander, Lynn Schroeder, and Nancy Ostrander (1979). Their book, Superlearning, discussed the use of Baroque music to relax and make positive suggestions to improve the progress of student learning. This book was the catalyst to start the use of these teaching methods at Iowa State University. In 1975, The Society for Accelerative Learning and Teaching was formed (Meier, 2000). In 1994, this group became known as the International Alliance for Learning (2003). The International Alliance for Learning (2003) identified the elements of accelerated learning which included:
Accelerated learning encompasses and links to other "theoretical" frameworks, including the following:
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