Most language learning methods are highly inefficient, as the material used is often archaic, irrelevant to the student, and totally boring. This means that even the hardest working, most committed student has to revise and study his notes on an extremely regular basis. In addition, he needs to practice the language in some way to aid his memory.
We learn by doing, not by passive listening.
With my creative methods, I focus on three aspects which stimulate the memory enormously.
The first is emotion. We all remember the infinite details of our deepest emotional experiences, both the good and the bad. In addition, we can record all the trivial things which happened around those events, things which we would normally forget. If the student experiences this emotion in his learning, he needs to feel it only once to be able to remember it for the remainder of his life. That’s real and practical emotional intelligence. The Oscar winning film, Slumdog Millionaire is a superb example of this. If you avoid emotion, you avoid life.
The second is humour. I’m lucky to have a great sense of humour. I’m quite happy to make a complete fool of myself and anybody else to make people laugh. The joke I make, the exaggerated mime, lingers long in the memory of my students, aiding their memory.
The third is music. Music is passion, energy and inspiration. Music is a therapy and opens up your creative side. Check out “The Mozart Effect” by Don Campbell! Music is immensely powerful. Think of all those TV ads! Which ones do you remember? Do you remember the music? Whether you love or hate the particular piece of music, after you’ve heard it six or seven times, you won’t be able to get it out of your head.
When you hear different pieces of music, different thoughts come to your mind. In addition, music has the power to be extremely energising or relaxing and therefore, we should use it as often as possible to generate the mood we desire and to aid students’ memories.
For more information on this subject, read my article, Memory, Music and Emotion in Learning www.hltmag.co.uk/apr09 >>
What music inspires or energises you? Let me know! Here are some songs that motivate me. Check them out on Google. For more songs, check out the Italian version of this page.
The Radicals – You’ve got the music in you
The Killers – Are we human or are we dancer?
Pet Shop Boys – Go West
Europe – The Final Countdown
New Order – True Faith
Queen – The Show must go on
Oasis – Don’t look back in anger

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