Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Dr. Georgi Lozanov, father of accelerated learning, passed away

The Bulgarian psychiatrist and educator Lozanov was one of the first to recognize that humans have untapped learning power within their subconscious that can be harnessed to help people grow. For picture thinkers his ideas are interesting because he accepted the important role imagination plays in the learning proces. He explained how learning becomes easy in an environment where love, positive emotions, joy and relaxed concentration are possible. The student must be free to choose how to learn, as a spontaneous feeling. The teacher should trust himself and the capacities of the student. He said language ought to be treated as a living organism and not be isolated and cut in pieces. Education should involve beauty and arts. His educational theory and practice were examined by UNESCO in the late 1970s and proved to be effective. This triggered the 'accelerated learning' movement.