TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE

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TEFL

Total Physical Response (TPR)

What is TPR?

TPR is an approach to teaching a second language, based on listening linked to physical activities which are designed to reinforce comprehension.

Total Physical Response (TPR)

What is the connection to the classroom? TPR is not always dancing and singing songs! Generally, we refer to body movement with instruction to engage learners. Students learn by identifying a certain key point to some action. TPR can be used for all curriculum, literacy, science, math, and so on.

Total Physical Response: The Idea

Total Physical Response is a language learning method based on the coordination of speech and action. This method of learning was developed by James Asher.

The Approach To Total Physical Response

According to Asher, some views :

Second

language learning is parallel to first language learning and should reflect the same naturalistic processes. Listening should develop before speaking. Once listening comprehension has been developed, speech develops naturally and effortlessly out of it. Adults should use right-brain motor activities, while the left hemisphere watches and learns.

When do we use TPR?

Vocabulary connected with actions (smile, chop, headache, wriggle) Tenses past/present/future and continuous aspects (Every morning I clean my teeth, I make my bed, I eat breakfast) Classroom language (Open your books) Imperatives/Instructions (Stand up, close you eyes) Story-telling

How can we use TPR in class?

In the classroom the teacher plays the role of parent. It is more effective if the students are standing in a circle around the teacher and you can even encourage them to walk around as they do the action.

The Secret of Learning

There is a secret to this way of learning in many age groups but one that is more acknowledged is that of an infant learning their first words. When a parent says Look at daddy, and the baby turns to the father and the father then responds, this becomes a Language-Body Conversation. Although the child is not yet speaking they are internalizing the patterns and sounds of the target language.

Advantages

It is fun and easy. "TPR is aptitude-free." according to Asher. It is inclusive working well with a mixed ability class. It is good for kinesthetic learners who need to be active in the class. It is a good tool for building vocabulary. It is memorable. Actions help strengthen the connections in the brain.

It can be used in large or small classes. It doesn't require a lot of preparation or materials. It is very effective with teenagers and young learners. It involves both left and right-brained learning.

Disadvantages

While it can be used at higher levels TPR is most useful for beginners. It is also at the higher levels where preparation becomes an issue for the teacher. Students are not generally given the chance to express their thoughts in a creative way. It is easy to overuse TPR. "Any novelty, if carried on too long, will trigger adaptation." Asher writes, "No matter how exciting and productive the innovation, people will tire of it. when a teacher uses TPR in their lesson, they will have trouble teaching abstract vocabulary or expressions. TPR can be ineffective if the teacher uses it for a long period of time without switching it with other activities that help teach the target language.