Blending the principles of Suggestopedia and thetheory of Speech Acts in writing suggestopedicdidactic texts, with reference to German andZulu scripts

Abstract

This paper suggests that language teachers who use the suggestopedic method should write their own texts that comply with suggestopedic principles. This is imperative because of the lack of material that can be acquired and used in such courses. Writing their own scripts also enables teachers to identify with their materials and brings much reward and personal growth. Guidelines for the writing and setting up of these texts are provided The text should embody the philosophic and didactic .framework of suggestopedia. It should also be presented as a didactic play wherein the language components to be learned are presented in the form of new scenes in a continuous drama text. Traditional beliefs about level of complexity of the language suitable for beginners' courses are considered unfounded Suggestopedic scripts therefore contain complex, 'reallife' language .from the outset, starting with the language needed to make contact with native target language speakers. The main guideline for the organisation and structuring of the text is that it should mirror authentic communicative situations. The paper therefore argues that suggestopedic scripts should be written according to the lists of language jUnctions (or speech acts) and topic areas required for the so-called 'threshold level' of language competence. The paper concludes with examples .from a German and a Zulu text to illustrate the didactic and structural principles and guidelines that were outlined in the article.Die artikel voer aan dat taalonderwysers wat die suggestopediese metode gebruik, self tekste behoort te skryf wat strook met die suggestopediese beginsels. Die gebrek aan geskikte materiaal op die mark noodsaak hulle om dit te doen. Wanneer onderwysers hulle eie tekste skryj beteken dit egter ook dat hulle met die onderrigmateriaal kan identifiseer. Dit kan professioneellonend wees en persoonlike groei teweeg bring. Riglyne vir die skryf en ontwerp van sulke tekste word verskaf Die teks behoort in die jilosojiese en didaktiese raamwerk van suggestopedia in te pas. Dit behoort as 'n didaktiese toneelstuk aangebied te word; die taal-eksponente wat aangeleer moet word, word telkens via nuwe tonele van 'n deurlopende dramateks voorgestel. Tradisionele aannames oor die vlak van kompleksiteit van die taal wat vir beginnerskursusse geskik is, word as ongeldig beskou. Suggestopediese tekste bevat dus van die begin af komplekse taal soos dit in die werklike lewe gebruik word, beginnende by die taal wat benodig word om met moedertaalsprekers in die teikentaal kontak te maak. Die belangrikste riglyn vir die organisasie en die strukturering van die teks is dat dit outentieke kommunikatiewe situasies moet weerspieel. Die artikel stel dus voor dat suggestopediese tekste geskryf word ooreenkomstig die lyste van spreekhandelinge en a,nderwerpe wat vir die sogenaamde 'drumpelvlak' van taalvaardigheid geidentifiseer is. Ter afsluiting van die artikel word die voorgestelde didaktiese en str~kturele beginsels en riglyne aan die hand van 'n Duitse en 'n Zoeloe teks nader toegelig.