Georgi Lozanov
Psychiatrist
Died when: 85 years 290 days (1029 months)Star Sign: Leo
Georgi Lozanov (Bulgarian: ?????? ???????; 22 July 1926 – 6 May 2012), known as 'the father of accelerated learning', was a Bulgarian scientist, neurologist, psychiatrist, psychologist and educator, creator of suggestology, suggestopedia (or 'suggestopaedia', an experimental branch of suggestology for use in pedagogy), and integrated psychotherapy.
He developed suggestopedia, a learning/teaching theory based on his early-1960s study of suggestion which is known as "suggestology".
Lozanov's theory and practice triggered an accelerated learning movement in the West, where various techniques not originally included in Lozanov's theory were introduced.
Such techniques included elements such as breathing, visualization, and biofeedback.There is a school in Sliven dedicated to preparing teachers for using suggestopaedia during lessons in order to improve the learning speed of pupils.
During the 1970s his theories and method were carefully analyzed and evaluated worldwide by a committee on languages learning and eventually certified by Unesco as "the most cultural integral and effective learning method" in Second Language Acquisition, better known today as its corporate adaptation called the Accelerated Learning Method.
Among his research, Lozanov had conducted during his earlier career stages advanced long-term research in the field of parapsychology, especially on clairvoyance at the University of Sofia.
He eventually left Bulgaria, and settled in Western Europe opening the Lozanov Institute in Vienna, while he was conducting extensive work in North America, particularly in Washington, D.C. and Ottawa, working at its corresponding Diplomatic Institutes on the development and implementation of accelerated second language training programs for federal government employees.