THE TEN ACCELERATED LEARNING ELEMENTS
Accelerated Learning is based upon ten key elements that create success in academic performance and personal growth.
1. Knowledge about the Human Brain and Learning
Scientific knowledge and understanding of the brain is important to the design of effective teaching and learning experiences. AL looks at what neuroscience is discovering about the mind/body connection and how that knowledge can be applied to improve the quality of learning for each individual.
2. Emotional State
The emotions can powerfully influence the learning process and enhance retention. When emotions are positive, the total intelligence is in gear, ready to move into new experiences. Many theorists say that without emotions there is no learning.
3. The Learning Environment
AL takes into consideration every aspect of the learning environment that can positively or negatively affect the experience, such as lighting, temperature, acoustics, seating arrangement, color and décor. An environment that is fun, engaging and rewarding reinforces the learning of each person.
4. The Role of Music and the Arts
Because music creates emotional engagement and encourages memory, it is a valuable, and often overlooked, educational tool. It can influence the entire pace, mood and energy level of the learning experience. The Arts can be used to facilitate self-understanding, emotional involvement and the application of knowledge to real life situations.
5. Personal Motivation
The desire to continue learning is based on self-confidence and personal expectations. Finding ways to help learners discover intrinsic motivation for learning, independent of rewards and punishment from the outside, will create a paradigm shift in levels of learning in society as a whole.
6. Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles
The theory of multiple intelligences is an integral part of accelerated learning. AL subscribes to Howard Gardner’s perspective…”to respect many differences among people, the multiple variations in the ways that they learn, the several modes by which they can be assessed, and the almost infinite number of ways which they can leave a mark on the world.”
7. Imagination/Metaphors
Imaginative games and activities enrich verbal and written information with physical movement, color, depth, and positive emotions. Visualization skills enhance spelling, memory, creativity, and other abilities. Metaphors bring stronger meaning to any subject.
8. Positive Suggestion
What is spoken may often be conveyed by body language, attitude, choice of words, and thinly veiled expectation. Though subtle, these suggestions, aided by a rich variety of learning tasks, music, movement and exercise, can create a positive mental state and raise energy levels and attentiveness.
9. Team Learning and Cooperation
Cooperative learning activities allow participants of all abilities to benefit as mentors and learners, develop interpersonal and time-management skills, and more fully develop creative talents.
10. Improvement and Results
Learning expectations should be clearly defined and shaped with participants and constituents so that:
Learners are able to comprehend the relevance of the subject matter to their lives, and
Teachers/facilitators can measure progress and generate objective data that can be used to continuously improve and add value to planning, assessment, and process improvement.