Copyright (c) 2010 Vince Welsh
Accelerated learning is based on applying brain research to the field of education and life long learning. It is designed to improve, increase and help develop the learning processes for everyone from pre- school children to the elderly. The purpose of accelerated learning is to take the ways we naturally learn and combine them with active learning methods that involve the whole person in the learning process to increase effectiveness. When a person learns through more traditional learning methods their brain is not used to its full potential. Accelerated learning techniques engage the whole person with physical activity and use of the five senses.
Brain research and education proves that people learn in different ways but that everyone can learn better by being more engaged in the learning process. Accelerated learning takes the advances of brain research and brings accelerated learning techniques to educators and classrooms everywhere. The research explains that neurons are the building blocks of the brain and that educators can focus on identifying, assessing and connecting those neurons by engaging pre-existing neuronal networks in different areas of the brain, making learning faster than through traditional lecture or hands-on instruction alone.
Accelerated learning techniques formed from brain research and education reports focuses on the relationship between the brain and the body. In learning, this is the relationship of sensory input and memory including emphasis on the core information the brain receives from the eyes, ears and touch. Curriculums at all levels of education should emphasize and create opportunities for a balanced approach between traditional teaching approaches and new approaches built upon existing knowledge and understanding. With a working knowledge of the brain, educators can increase student memory along with verbal, auditory, tactile, and visual learning. With a balance of hands-on teaching and the lecture method, educators can not only help the development of neural networks in the brain, but also boost the physical bases of learning and the mind-body connection.
Some of the necessary components for accelerated learning to take place successfully include a positive learning environment, involvement from the learner, collaboration between students, variety for all learning styles, and contextual learning. Accelerated learning is not solely used to help people learn faster, it is also used as a motivational tool for people with different learning styles to improve their curiosity and satisfaction with the learning process.
Companies and organizations also use accelerated learning to their advantage. With better memory techniques, businesses are benefiting from the ability to learn a new language faster while also flourishing with a sharper workforce. Accelerated learning is a system and a process that benefits everybody because it achieves real results. Whether you want to help your young child develop a stronger learning ability, enhance your company’s progress, or boost your own memory, accelerated learning can be used for multiple benefits. Research has gotten us this far, and now you can use it to boost your mind and improve your life.
Vince Welsh is the President of Teacher Education Institute. TEI offers graduate-level professional development courses for teachers on-site and online. For more information about accelerated learning, brain research and education, or accelerated learning techniques visit http://teachereducation.com
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