Using Neuro Linguistic Programming in Learning

Using Neuro Linguistic Programming in Learning

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Table of Contents

TOC o “1-3” h z u HYPERLINK l “_Toc390893782” Introduction PAGEREF _Toc390893782 h 2

HYPERLINK l “_Toc390893783” Neuro-Linguistic Programming PAGEREF _Toc390893783 h 3

HYPERLINK l “_Toc390893784” Human mind PAGEREF _Toc390893784 h 5

HYPERLINK l “_Toc390893785” How people learn PAGEREF _Toc390893785 h 6

HYPERLINK l “_Toc390893786” NLP assumptions and their role in learning PAGEREF _Toc390893786 h 7

HYPERLINK l “_Toc390893787” Learning techniques PAGEREF _Toc390893787 h 8

HYPERLINK l “_Toc390893788” Some Learning’s problem and NLP solutions PAGEREF _Toc390893788 h 9

HYPERLINK l “_Toc390893789” Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc390893789 h 10

HYPERLINK l “_Toc390893790” Reference List PAGEREF _Toc390893790 h 11

IntroductionOver the recent years, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) has gained significant attention in the field of learning. The term, which refers to an art and science of gaining personal excellence, through constructive thought and behavioural processes, was first developed by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in the 1970s. NLP has since found extensive use in unlimited fields of study. Recent studies have described it as the study of the structure of subjective experiences, such as ways through which thoughts are processed and how they affect internal experiences. Accordingly, NLP can be summed up as a means of ‘thinking about thinking.’ This paper takes the perspective that NLP is focused on ensuring a positive change through influencing individuals’ ways of thinking, attitudes and behaviours. This is based on the premise that effective application of NLP techniques in learning processes facilitates effective learning. The study explores the significance of NLP on learning processes and how it can effectively address learning difficulties. This paper starts by defining NLP before showing how it can be applied to improve learning experiences.

Neuro-Linguistic ProgrammingThe term Neuro-Linguistic Programming was first coined by Dr Grinder and Dr Brandler in the 1970s. The term describes the ideas, feelings and behaviours that are triggered by patterns of experiences or behaviours displayed by individuals. While it affects an individual’s sub-conscious mind, some studies have showed that certain lifestyles may be developed from these patterns of experiences and habits.

The programming process begins right from birth. Starting off as a blank canvas, the first programming tool of a person is family. This is specifically so during the first seven years of an individual’s life. Subsequent to this, the school, teachers and students take the central role of developing the individual’s opinions and habits. Later, the media and the surrounding media take the cue in programming the person. Under these circumstances, an individual will refer to their previous experiences and current programming in order to form a reaction. While this may depict an involuntary response, programming is in principle crucial and inevitable.

On semantic analysis or Neuro-Linguistic Programming, two key terms can be subtracted from the term, namely linguistic and neuro. Linguistic is described as the scientific study of a language. Two kinds of languages emerge at this stage, namely the inner language, which describes the language that cannot be heard, and the external language, which defines the mainstream means of speech. Hence, the term linguistic can be harnessed to refer to the ability of using language internally or externally in an effort to express what is programmed in a person. On the other hand, neuro refers to an individual’s inner Neuro System and five senses, including what can be seen, heard, smelled and tasted (Elfiky 2008).

Taking the two terms into perspective, NLP is summed as the process that influences the behaviour of the brain to achieve a certain target or goal in real life. The concept uses language and other methods of communication to enable an individual to record the responses of the brain. NLP techniques can be used by an individual to improve and modify his thoughts, behaviour and feelings about situations in their life.

The NLP has found wide application in a range of fields. In psychology, the concept is extensively applied in resolving psychological disorders, such phobia or enhancing anger management. Its significance is also apparent in the business scenarios where marketers who look to promote sales can use it to persuade customers. In education, it can resolve a range of learning problems that are related to improper programming of students. Of essence is reprogramming of students to achieve positive progression by making the learning process easier and more effective.

Human mindThe human mind has two fundamental components, namely the conscious and subconscious. The conscious mind, which makes up 12 percent of the mind, is the decision maker. It is the part of the mind that involves more of what takes place externally. However, its implication is relatively limited as it tends to only make little sense of what takes place in the mind (MacGregor 2011).

The subconscious mind, which makes up 88 percent of the mind, consists of the habits, memories, beliefs, personality and self-image. It is more influential as it has the capacity to record and remember experiences, through a “conditioning process”, which facilitates learning (MacGregor 2011). Additionally, it allows individuals to perform actions naturally and without forethought. This form of adaptive mechanism is essentially a system designed by the mind to protect a person by recalling experiences. For example, when a child draws a picture and everyone in the class laughs during his elementary school years, his subconscious mind will recall this feeling afterwards in life. Later, when he wants to draw a picture in high school, he will recall the feeling and shy away from drawing the picture.

In solving the problem, MacGregor (2011) suggests that there is need to change the condition by altering the subconscious mind. Since humans are not born with a manual on how to operate the subconscious mind, it must be changed through programming. Recent scientific discoveries have explored and enabled an understanding of this mechanism in order to change the conditions that do not allow humans to learn (MacGregor 2011).

The following paragraphs explain how people learn and how learning relates to NLP.

How people learnHumans’ first discovery of the world happens in the first three years after birth. They are born fully equipped with learning tools that enable them master the complicated processes of walking, sitting up, talking, feeding and communicating with others. Learning is a continuous process that happens subconsciously. For instance, babies are not instructed on which muscle they should move first in order to walk or which senses they should apply for which situation. However, as a child gets older, his inherent curiosity will not be stimulated if he is told that he is not perfect or that he has a certain flaw. Hence, people tend to believe in certain comments directed to them by those they respect. In such a case, learning cannot occur — since the ability to learn is greatly effective when a person believes in his ability to learn and when he enjoys what he is learning. In essence, everything boils down to the state of mind (Beaver 2002).

Effective learning is also discouraged when a person is made to believe that he is ‘stupid’. This is since his mind will be programmed to feel ‘stupid’. Additionally, learning will not occur, when a person chooses not to learn because he finds it boring or useless (Beaver 2002).

Bad experiences with a subject during childhood also inhibit effective learning of the subject later in life. The early experiences in life may jeopardize an individual’s self-confidence, leaving him embarrassed to attempt the subject with the hope of succeeding later in life. Under such circumstance, failing the subject may be inevitable since the individual feel insecure. Additionally, when a person is made to feel bad or not allowed to learn in his own way, then this may disrupt his journey of learning (Beaver 2002).

In sum, a person may be driven to resist change or to harbour the feeling that he does not deserve success by poor self-confidence triggered early in life. Essentially therefore, effective learning is attained through experience, natural curiosity and confidence.

NLP assumptions and their role in learningNLP is dependent on several assumptions, since ways in which an individual perceives the world is not how the actual world is. This encourages an individual to learn more (Korzybski, 1912). The idea that the mind can be controlled and responsibility should be taken gives an individual ability to control behaviours and attitudes.

Flexibility is also an influential tool in NLP. The ability to adapt to different situations enables individuals to assume that they will be more successful if they probe further into the failed attempts. This is since their capability to come up with many solutions to a problem is triggered. In return, failed attempts would be perceived as experiences. This attitude enhances self-encouragement and the willingness to pursue further chances to avoid mistakes in the future (Alhalul, 2011).

Using successful people as models also influences NLP. For instance, enabling individuals to know that they can be successful when they imitate the ideas and techniques used by those who have made success triggers them to learn. This is since they tend to equip themselves with the same tools, which they may, however, use differently. Overall, an individual who believes in these assumptions can make changes in his learning by following NLP learning techniques (Bandler 1985).

Learning techniquesSome people are visual learners. This means that they create pictures of the information in their mind. For example, all good spellers see the word in their mind’s eye, even if they are not consciously aware of it. These people will ‘look up’ before giving answers. They also check out the internal pictures stored in their memory.

Some people are auditory learners. This category of learners tends to learn effectively through the ear. These people will give their full attention by turning their ear towards the sound source, as opposed to looking. When they are asked a question, they will look side to side to check out their internal sounds.

Some individuals are kinaesthetic learners. This category of people has to move and touch in order to learn and to remember feelings. These people will move around when trying to remember certain things.

While an individual may not always use all systems, he will have a preferred one. The system they use is recognisable by the language they use — such as “look here, listen, how do you feel about this?” Discovering which system is being used can enhance learning, for example, the auditory learner can memorise a poem better if he listens to it or says it aloud than if he reads it.

Overall, understanding the learning techniques can help teachers deliver instructions based on the system best preferred by students. Teachers may as well employ a range of tools, such as visual, audio and practical to improve the educational process (Beaver 2002).

Some Learning’s problem and NLP solutionsAs stated by Bandler (1985), most of learning’s problems are related to bad and discouraging experiences. Hence, people will not learn much if they feel bad or discouraged. To this end, Bandler (1985) suggested a simple technique called ”integrating anchors” to resolve this problem.

In using the technique, Bandler (1985) suggests that students’ feelings and attitudes are reprogrammed using thoughts and senses. In using the technique, students who hate mathematics because of bad experience in their early learning are asked to close their eyes while looking at equations. At this stage, they are asked to recall the previous wonderful experience where they felt excited and curious. Afterwards, they are asked to open their eyes for nearly two seconds before they can look at the equations again. A teacher then asks them once more to close their eyes and return to the marvellous experience. The exercise is repeated until the two experiences are methodically integrated.

In using the technique, a student’s feelings and attitudes become reprogrammed using his own thoughts and senses. This ultimately dissociates mathematics from the bad feeling felt subconsciously by students (Bandler, 1985). The ‘integrating anchors’ suggested by Bandler (1985) indicates that the learning process should be connected to fun and enjoyment as this allows the mind to connect the good feelings to the learning process.

An additional major learning problem for many students is remembering what they learn in school. Bandler (1985) found that people who have phenomenal memories pair the things they want to remember with something unique in the three representational systems, namely auditory, visual and kinaesthetic. For instance, if they want to recall a name, they have to listen to the name spoken in other’s voice tone. Additionally, they have to look at something unique in the person and then remember what felt when they shook hands. Since this gives them a drop tag code in each major system, they will have three different ways to recall the name (Bandler, 1985).

Elfiky (2008) also suggested another NLP technique that involves ‘repetition.’ The technique relies on the words that are repeated by a person, which come with the feeling they develop and creates a picture in the ‘mind eye’ of what is said. For instance, an individual who wants to learn a new language could say orally ‘I can do it’, imagine and feel themselves speak the language fluently.

Repetition of the words while accommodating positive feelings will make the person’s subconscious mind to believe in the words. In return, the person will be automated to act in the manner he so desires. This will enable the person to learn faster and more efficiently.

ConclusionHuman beings have inherent learning abilities and equipments, which are, however, different since their experiences and attitudes differ. The NLP techniques enable people to make changes they so desire by changing their thought processes. They also programme the human mind to accommodate and harbour constructive feelings and attitudes. In education, the NLP techniques make learning faster and more effective. It is expected that this science could make a great evolution in field of education. Basing on these findings, it is suggested that the concept of NLP should be taught to the teachers, with the view of revolutionising the learning process as it will create consistent, routine and effective learning methods for students.

Reference ListBandler, R 1985, Using Your Brain for a Change, Library of congress, Utah

Bandler, R & Grinder J 1979, Frogs into Princes, Real People Press, Utah

Beaver, D 2002, NLP for Lazy Learning, British Library, London

Elfiky, E 2008, Neuro-Linguistic Programming and effective connection, Ebdaa Library, Egypt

MacGregor, S 2006, Using the Subconscious Mind Deliberately, viewed 17 June 2014, http://www.nolimitshealth.com/smsb/sandy-macgregor-using-the-subconscious-mind-deliberately/<

Alhalul, E 2011, “The Effects of Using NLP in the Teachers’ Motivations’”, Alquds University Magazine vol. 22, pp.165-168.