Learning (Foreign Languages)Efficiently

SRL

StressReduced (Foreign Language-)

 Learning

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StressReduced Learning, SRL, is being taught in 17 European Countries - Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Great Britain, Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Rumania, Poland, Latvia, Switzerland, Germany - in South Africa, Australia and in the USA..

In several states of Germany, in Portugal, in Greece and in Switzerland more than 70 SRL-Trainers use SRL in their lessons and try to spread the news on StressReduced Learning.

StressReduced Learning comprises areas that should be integrated into the learning process both before one begins to learn a foreign language  - or any other subject - and while one is studying e.g. a foreign language.

The cognitions and approaches are not entirely new. The idea is to present strategies and techniques that help to improve language learning. The intention is to teach more effective ways to learn (languages) and to sensitize both teachers and learners to use those skills.

The PISA survey showed that the way contents (languages) are taught is not as successful as it is commonly assumed. If several foreign languages should be taught successfully in a future Europe - in all types of school - a rethinking in the areas of didactics and methodology will be necessary.

Before the first lesson starts it is crucial that the students get information on techniques and strategies on how to learn (a foreign language) efficiently. Only then, as soon as the students know how to learn teachers can begin imparting knowledge.

As long as students are afraid of tests there will be no objective evaluation. This means that techniques which enable every single student to get anxiety, nervousness, lack of concentration under control are basic prerequisites and furthermore that strategies which permit studying according to one´s learning type and in a multisensory way are obligatory. In other words relaxation techniques, concentration exercises, learning type tests have to be part and parcel of any tuition and in any subject.

This requires not only knowledge of teachers about those contents but a sufficient experience of how to practise them. Therefore it is necessary that those topics are dealt with during the education at the university, during the internship and at in-service trainings. Over and above it is essential that those issues find their way into the curricula.

SRL has been proved and presented by Dr. Josef Meier for may years in different areas of studying, in regional and nationwide in-service trainings, at conventions, at corporations such as BMW, Daimler, Siemens and at international presentations in Sout Africa, Australia and in the USA..

Josef Meier had been a teacher at different school types and in adult education for many years and lectured at the chair of didactics of English at the university of Augsburg for more than 20 years. He focuses on teaching innovative learning and teaching techniques as well as techniques for mental efficiency and StressReduced (Language-)Learning. For many years he has devoted himself to the training for mental efficiency in the fields of sports, job and profession and everyday life. It is his intention to enhance emotional stability, which is a prerequisite for effective self-management, in order to optimize behaviour in all areas of life. He combines these experiences with his knowledge of ´multisensory learning´.

The aim of the SRL-network is on one hand side to win colleagues, autonomous foreign language learners and parents for this method, and on the other hand side to support all learners who want to study (languages) individually.