Performance Superlearning

Rating:
Summary: A researcher's opinion on "Superlearning".
Review: Actually Mr Schneider is right on the ball! I have researched products by the company "Superlearning" and by Ostrander and Schroeder and I can only say that you are wasting your money on a scam! In the original "Superlearning" book published in 1979, Ostrander and Schroeder make claims that 1000 foreign language words can be learnt in one session by doubtful students with almost full retention of the data. In the very same book, they contadict themselves by talking about how effective learning is connected with a positive attitude. They present their system that doesn't work. Take it from me! In addition, the so-called one day 1000 word experiment was actually conducted over 11 days which, if you read Lozanov's book "Outlines of Suggestopedy and Suggestopedia". Ostrander and Schroeder got it wrong. Furthermore, in their later work they suggest that the same technique is started with only 30 words and you are told that you should repeat the material as many times as it takes until you know it. The ultimate disclaimer, but a far cry from the outlandish claims made by this pair of frauds! In fact, I worked out that, if you follow all the advice, then you will need to expose yourself to the material at least 27 times in order to learn it!!! Oops! That's a far cry from 1000 words in one session with full retention, isn't it! And believe me, that is a conservative estimate! They claim that you can learn everything at once. Research shows that little by little and building on what you know is the correct way to learn effectively. You can see that can't you? I feel very strongly about fraudulent garbage such as this being put onthe market. It is a shame that in the USA people have the right to write what they want to. The claims made are false: they are just sensation. Look athte mistake in quoting from the Lozanov book. Either they made a stupid mistake, which means that they are unprofessional, or they did it for the sensationalism which helps them sell products, which are all, essentially plugging the same time-wasting technique, and that is also unprofessional. Either way, Ostrander and Schroeder are a pair of shysters. There is no "Super" in "Superlearning" and from my own experience and what I have heard from many others, there is no "-learning" either. Finally, to the people who gave this book good reviews, what were you reviewing exactly? If you were reviewing the book, then you will find it to be well written and interesting - it would have to be to make up for the content - or actually the "Superlearning" technique - some of the advice is good, but it's cribbed from other sources like Colin Rose - but if you actually try the technique, then you'll see! Don't read the book, say"that looks great!", be misled by all the so-called "testimonials" like Christian Drapeau who "created a great work upon himself" - they've used that same example in all their books and tapes!, review the usefulness of the book. An obvious aphorism, I know, but "Don't judge a book by its cover!" Don't be fooled by sensation. Go on results.

Rating:
Summary: A researcher's opinion on "Superlearning".
Review: Actually Mr Schneider is right on the ball! I have researched products by the company "Superlearning" and by Ostrander and Schroeder and I can only say that you are wasting your money on a scam! In the original "Superlearning" book published in 1979, Ostrander and Schroeder make claims that 1000 foreign language words can be learnt in one session by doubtful students with almost full retention of the data. In the very same book, they contadict themselves by talking about how effective learning is connected with a positive attitude. They present their system that doesn't work. Take it from me! In addition, the so-called one day 1000 word experiment was actually conducted over 11 days which, if you read Lozanov's book "Outlines of Suggestopedy and Suggestopedia". Ostrander and Schroeder got it wrong. Furthermore, in their later work they suggest that the same technique is started with only 30 words and you are told that you should repeat the material as many times as it takes until you know it. The ultimate disclaimer, but a far cry from the outlandish claims made by this pair of frauds! In fact, I worked out that, if you follow all the advice, then you will need to expose yourself to the material at least 27 times in order to learn it!!! Oops! That's a far cry from 1000 words in one session with full retention, isn't it! And believe me, that is a conservative estimate! They claim that you can learn everything at once. Research shows that little by little and building on what you know is the correct way to learn effectively. You can see that can't you? I feel very strongly about fraudulent garbage such as this being put onthe market. It is a shame that in the USA people have the right to write what they want to. The claims made are false: they are just sensation. Look athte mistake in quoting from the Lozanov book. Either they made a stupid mistake, which means that they are unprofessional, or they did it for the sensationalism which helps them sell products, which are all, essentially plugging the same time-wasting technique, and that is also unprofessional. Either way, Ostrander and Schroeder are a pair of shysters. There is no "Super" in "Superlearning" and from my own experience and what I have heard from many others, there is no "-learning" either. Finally, to the people who gave this book good reviews, what were you reviewing exactly? If you were reviewing the book, then you will find it to be well written and interesting - it would have to be to make up for the content - or actually the "Superlearning" technique - some of the advice is good, but it's cribbed from other sources like Colin Rose - but if you actually try the technique, then you'll see! Don't read the book, say"that looks great!", be misled by all the so-called "testimonials" like Christian Drapeau who "created a great work upon himself" - they've used that same example in all their books and tapes!, review the usefulness of the book. An obvious aphorism, I know, but "Don't judge a book by its cover!" Don't be fooled by sensation. Go on results.

Rating:
Summary: Yet more of the same scam - same old, different package!
Review: Before reading this review I will give you some idea of my background so you can judge my review on the basis of my experience. I am a multilingual language teacher and writer with a keen interest in accelerated learning techniques, and have been such for several years. I first became interested in Superlearning several years ago as a possible method for increaing both my own language learning rate, which is considerable, and that of my students. Superleaning looked like something really new and innovative, and, having read the original Superlearning book, I decided to buy several Superlearning products from their website, including the audio course, special learning cassettes and a language course produced by the authors and based on the exact procedures laid out in their books. I wanted to be sure I was doing it properly. I also wish to point out that the products are not cheap by any means, well, not in price anyway. In terms of quality of the materials, recording and presentatiom, I have never encountered anything so cheap and shoddy!
Five years later, and after even more extensive research and experimentation with the system, both personally and in my classes, I can only say that almost all of this system is a sham. It doesn't work. I used a language course produce by them, and found no benefit whatsoever in it. The only benefit I got was to use the course, which I would also like to point out is nothing more than 3 tapes and a very thin and cheaply produced pamphlet of words and phrases and, on occasion the recording did not match the transcript, was to use the tapes without the highly distracting breathing exercises and do it the old-fashioned way. I made my own tapes too, as per the instructiosn in the course, which was a vastly time-consuming process, and had the same lack of result as the "professionally" produced languages tapes by the authors themselves!

There is no doubt that proper relaxation, relaxed breathing, positive suggestions and classical music can have varying degrees of benefit on the students, but the method you will find in ALL the books and programmes produced by Superlearning leaves a great deal to be desired!

I was interested by another reviewer's reference to a researcher from Monash univerity and her work into Lozanov and Superlearning. As I don't think a text link is allowed in a review, you might like to do a web search for "The personal website of Uschi Felix" at Monash University for a lot more information about Superleaning and the validity of some of the claims made before you are tempted to part with your hard earned and get a disappointment.

Having tried to contact Superlearning with questions and complaints, I can only attribute the lack of service and, indeed, acknowledgement I encountered to the fact that they must get a lot of comments and complaints from some very dissatisfied customers! I urge you not to buy into this. You are being taken for a ride.

To those reviewers who are getting so excited by the promises in the Superlearning products, all I can say is try it and see, but when you find it doesn't work don't blame yourselves for anything other than not having followed my advice not to buy! I am dismissing Superlearning on the basis of what I have found out from my own efforts and on information provided by Uschi Felix, amongst others.

I get very annoyed when I see that they are still releasing more courses which say the same thing as their first book, and still have no positive effect on your learning!

Rating:
Summary: Potential unlimited in audio learning
Review: This is a great CD set and I looked forward to improving my grades after my overseas CDs order. Audio CD learning is one of the latest learning aid and the authors are indeed high tech and high touch to keep up to date with their sharing of the latest learning methods on CD format.

For anyone who want to improve their performance superlearning, this is a good step to your unlimited power.

Good work, authors and may we triple-fast ways we learn, earn and succeed in the 21st century.