Name : Ni Komang Trya Dharayani
NIM : 2312021125
Class : 4D
Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Suggestopedia Method in Teaching English
English, as one of the foreign languages that is a mandatory subject in schools in
Indonesia, still often faces challenges in its teaching, one of which is when it has to be adapted to
the characteristics and needs of students who are very diverse. The choice of methods used by
teachers during learning will determine whether basic English skills, such as listening, speaking,
reading, and writing, can be mastered by all students. In this case, teachers are required not only
to master the material being taught but also to be able to create a pleasant and stress-free learning
environment so that students do not feel overwhelmed when learning.
One teaching method that is currently gaining attention for teaching foreign languages,
especially English, is the Suggestopedia method. This method was developed in the 1970s by a
Bulgarian doctor and psychotherapist named Georgi Lozanov (Suyadi, 2021). The Suggestopedia
method is a teaching method that focuses on always giving positive suggestions to students.
These suggestions can take the form of providing motivation and support so that they feel
capable of doing something, putting up pictures or posters related to learning on the classroom
walls, playing classical music or music with a soft rhythm to keep the classroom atmosphere
calm, and maintaining classroom cleanliness and comfort (Richard & Rodgers, 2003, as cited in
Ratminingsih, 2017). This method aims to reduce students' fear, anxiety, or lack of confidence
and enable them to master English more easily.
The advantages of using the Suggestopedia method have been widely felt by teachers and
students. Suyadi (2020), in his study on the Suggestopedia method's effect on reading descriptive
text at a Senior High School, stated that the Suggestopedia method creates a joyful, interesting,
and effective learning atmosphere for high school students. In addition, research was also
conducted by Purba (2020), which found that the Suggestopedia method was able to make
students feel comfortable and relaxed during learning because of the use of classical music,
which made the classroom atmosphere different. Malah, in his 2017 study on the effect of
Suggestopedia on teaching vocabulary to primary school pupils, found that the use of the
Suggestopedia method in teaching English vocabulary to primary school students had a positive
impact on their learning outcomes compared to using conventional methods.
However, despite its application to create a calm and comfortable classroom atmosphere,
teachers consider the implementation of this method to be quite challenging in various learning
contexts. Köçeri and Aslan (2024) revealed that, despite its advantages, teachers need to receive
proper training and preparation to ensure a calm and comfortable classroom atmosphere remains
stable from the beginning to the end of the lesson, especially when applied in classes with a large
number of students. Additionally, some students have different music preferences, so they often
do not respond positively to classical music.
As an adaptation effort, some teachers try to modify the suggestopedia method with
simpler approaches, such as replacing classical music with soft modern music and adding short
games that do not drain students' energy. In a study conducted by Kharismawati in 2014,
elementary school teachers in East Java were able to create a pleasant classroom atmosphere by
dividing the learning process into four main stages based on the structure of the Suggestopedia
Method, namely presentation, concert (active and passive), elaboration, and practice. In addition,
the students' seats were arranged in a semicircle with baroque music playing in the background,
and the students were involved in simple games or scenarios. Although relatively simple, this
approach was able to increase student participation and enthusiasm in English lessons. The
teacher's efforts are proof that Suggestopedia can still be applied effectively with creativity and a
good understanding by both teachers and students.
Based on the description above, the author realizes the importance of conducting further
studies on the advantages and disadvantages of the Suggestopedia method in English language
learning. This study will provide a deeper understanding of how this method works, what
positive impacts it has, and the obstacles encountered during its implementation in the
classroom. In addition, the author will combine the results of previous findings to obtain more
comprehensive and relevant results in the context of current education. Thus, this study is
expected to be a consideration for teachers, researchers, and education practitioners in evaluating
and developing learning methods that are more effective and enjoyable for students.
REFERENCES
Kharismawati, R. (2014). Suggestopedia method in the teaching and learning process. RETAIN:
Journal of Research in English Language Teaching, 2(1).
Köçeri, K., & Aslan, P. (2024). Investigating the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using the
Suggestopedia Method in English Teaching through a Systematic Literature
Review. Shanlax International Journal of Education, 12, 19-31.
Malah, A. (2017). Effect of suggestopedia method on teaching vocabulary to primary school
pupils.
Purba, H. Y. D. (2017). THE EFFECT OF SUGGESTOPEDIA METHOD ON
STUDENTS’ACHIEVEMENT IN VOCABULARY.
Ratminingsih, N. M. (2021). Metode Dan Strategi Pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris. PT.
RajaGrafindo Persada.
Suyadi, S. (2021). Suggestopedia method effect on reading descriptive text at a senior high
school. Jurnal Ilmiah Universitas Batanghari Jambi, 21(2), 485-496.
