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Show The Thundcrbird Monday, February 6, 1984 Page 3 Language instructors try new technique by Tracy Hopkins Have you ever had a foreign language class that you never thought you were going to make it through? At an Army base in Ft. Dcvens, Mass, there are several hundred men who felt the same way. Dr. Lynn Dohrity of the University of Massachusetts at Boston traveled to the Army installation to try an experimental teaching style with these men. This unique teaching method shortened the training program from 80 days, seven hours a day, six days a week, with a three hour homework period, down to an y course. In the longer program, 50 percent of the men were likely to drop out, but in the abbreviated course there were no drop outs. Dohrity also reported superior results from the students. Leon Chidester, an associate professor in the language department here at SUSC, went to Iowa State last summer to hear Dohrity s report and to attend a conference there. At the conference, Chidester heard discussions on the method that Dohrity had used. It is called the Lozonov technique and, according to Chidester, it is rapidly catching on all over the world. The Lozonov technique is named after its Bulgarian inventor and has been used by Chidester since fall quarter. Chidester says the technique lowers anxiety, helps students to relax and helps clear the mind so new material can be more readily accepted, all important factors in learning a new language. The technique is believed to bridge the gap between the left and the right sides of the brain. Verbal speech is the worst way that humans have to communicate, says Chidester. There is a universal language that all human beings understand it is more of this that we use in our class... we bridge the gap between the left and the right sides of the brain. We do all of our thinking with the left part of the brain. All the creativity, imagination, and feeling comes from the right. We put these two together to untap vast reserves of understanding that each individual has. Once we have this, the rest falls right into place. McRay Cloward, SUSC psychology professor, agrees that this technique may be very valuable. According to Cloward the left and right sides are actually two different brains, connected by a complex series of nerves. The left brain is the language side. It uses symbols and interprets all that goes on in thinking. It is the rational side in charge of all of our intellect. Cloward says the right brain is our side, it deals non-verb- Leon Chidester, associate professor of language, employs the Lozonov teaching method in his classes. It is a very novel way of looking at teaching language, he said. with geometries, spatial relationships, our intuition and motor functions. By the time a child reaches the age of four, explains Cloward, he has a 2,500 word vocabulary, but at this age a child has developed both brains n equally. Our society is oriented, because it teaches left brained. It soon becomes the dominant side, and the right brain is used only a little. Chidester says its the right part of the brain that hes putting to use. We try to revert the student back to a time when learning was a new experience. By using the Lozonov technique left-brai- that learning can be more fun and exciting. Chidester explains that he does this by using materials college students havent seen since elementary school. He uses puppets, paper men, music, meditation, calisthenics and many other types of audio and visual materials. James Harrison, also of the SUSC language department, recently began using the Lozonov technique in his German class. Harrison also teaches French, but he says he is only using it in his German class so he can better monitor the results of the technique by comparing how students do in the two classes. "I have been dissatisfied with the way Ive been teaching, says Harrison, This method lets me feel good about the way I teach, although I have had some success, I believe I can find a lot more with this. Although Chidester admits this wont work for all students, he believes that it does for the majority and plans on continuing to develop it here at the college. He also hopes to have a workshop on the technique at SUSC in the near future. ISUSCs 84-8budget ito be analyzed this week Land trade topic of open meeting 5 Public reaction to a proposal by Clark Livestock Company to exchange parcels of property in Cedar Canyon with Southern Utah State College to permit development of a ski resort is being solicited. A public meeting to gather opinion will be held Thursday from p.m. at the SUSC Music Building. A committee composed of students, faculty and staff at SUSC is sponsoring the meeting. The committee has been charged by the SUSC administration to study the proposal and to present recommendations to President Gerald R. Sherratt. The SUSC Institutional Council and the State Board of Regents will make the final decision on whether to accept or reject the exchange offer from the Cedar City based livestock company. The committee wants to hear input based on factual information and the reasons behind each participants point of view, Frain G. Pearson, committee chairman, said. We would like participants to limit their remarks to no more than five minutes. Written comments are also being solicited, particularly from those who wish to respond but cant attend the public meeting. Comments should be 7-- 9 SUSCs administrators have been rejoicing over the decision by the Utah State Legislature to award a budget increase for the 1984-8- 5 fiscal year, but now that the package is passed and the legislature is adjourned, where does the bill go from there? The bill is now under extensive analysis by the State Board of Regents and Legislative Analysts, according to Michael D. Richards, assistant to the president. The recommendations of these groups will be made in a week to ten days. Meanwhile, the presidents of higher learning institutions will be meeting with the Commissioner of Higher Education to establish policy guidelines and priorities for the eventual distribution of the funds provided by this bill. SUSC received a 12 percent budget increase, which will give faculty and staff members a pay hike of approximately 13.4 percent. SUSC received the largest share of salary equity over all other institutions in the state, said Richards. He added that the total budget hike of over 12 percent is a major first step in remedying some budget cuttings that have occured in the past and will also help the college meet its current growth needs. Our first priority was salary equity though, Richards said, and that was reasonably well funded by the legislature. Richards warned that the salary increases would be awarded on a selective merit basis and that it would take a while for fiscal year budget. policy making to occur for the 1984-8A preliminary budget to distribute over $10 million will then have to be drawn up for the next fiscal year. This adminstration will meet soon with its own staff, said Richards, in order to explain how the funds will be distributed. This meeting is tentatively scheduled to be heid as soon as President Gerald R. Sherratt returns from various meetings regarding the budget increase, or within the next few weeks. 5 addressed to Frain G. Pearson, 313 Business Building, SUSC, Cedar City, Utah 84720. The proposal basically asks SUSC to exchange 920 acres of undeveloped land south of the SUSC property. SUSC would retain ownership of about 100 acres surrounding the college cabin. we get students to relax so exchange between the college and Clark Livestock Company. A meeting to discuss this trade will be held Thursday. |
