NLP and Education

By John Cassidy-Rice

Neuro-linguistic programming, or NLP, has been applied in many different areas such as sales, personal development, and family life. But do you know that NLP techniques can also be used in education?

Many NLP principles can truly enhance learning in classrooms if done right and with proper application. By effectively using these techniques, an educator can communicate better with students, strengthen the learning environment, and develop positive interaction that will increase academic effectiveness. This article will show some key areas of education where NLP techniques can be used.

Building rapport is one of the core NLP skills that a teacher can use to become more effective in the classroom setting. For example, learning how to perform"matching behavior" will cause students to feel more comfortable towards their teacher. NLP studies indicate that when two communicating parties display similar mannerisms and body language, they tend to have more rapport. An educator can use this technique by matching some of the actions of his or her students.

Certain patterns of speech, facial expressions and hand gestures can be matched easily. On the other hand, an educator can sometimes choose to break rapport if he or she sees any undesirable behavior on the part of the students. To show disapproval towards the undesirable action, an educator can choose to do"mismatching behavior". Communicating through the use of sensory based words can also help the educator become more effective at teaching students.

Using a variety of visual, auditory, gustatory, sensory and olfactory words will help the teacher paint vivid pictures of concrete ideas and concepts. Body language is another area of NLP which any educator can use to enhance learning in a classroom environment. By knowing how to read the body language of students, a teacher can measure the amount of interest in the classroom. For example, observing the direction of eye movement will help the teacher find out if the students are using their imaginative or creative thought while listening.

Other body language cues include leaning forward, making eye contact (or avoiding it), crossing legs, making hand gestures, and many others. All the little actions and seemingly insignificant behavior of students are in fact clues that will aid the teacher do a better job at teaching. Having the proper motivation to study is another aspect of learning that educators must focus on. Cultivating the interest of students to do well in their studies is vital to teaching success.

One way to help students become inspired, energized and motivated to study is to let them understand internal states. These internal states can be activated for the right situation when they are needed. An educator should be able to put students in the proper"mood" before starting each discussion. Internal states such as excited, happy, interested, or curious, work great in educational environments. The teacher should be able to put the students in any one of these states to facilitate positive academic response.

To find out more about NLP Training please visit us at NLP Training  — John Cassidy-Rice and the NLP Excellence team

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