Total Physical
Response
Flora, Kuei-Hsun Teng
Total Physical Response
Outlines
1. Introduction
2. Teaching and Learning Process
3. Principles
4. Techniques
5. Weaknesses
6. Activities
7. TPR – Identifying Parts of the Body
Introduction
1. Comprehension Approach
The right to be silent (Silent Period). Once
comprehension is established, production will come naturally. (Winitz 1981)
2. Stress Free Environment
Creating a low affective filter
3. Brain Lateralization
TPR is directed at right brain learning (Asher)
� TPR is a method built around the co-
ordination of speech and action.
� It attempts to teach language through
physical (motor) activity (actions).
� Developed by James Asher, a professor of
psychology at San Jose State University, in
the 1970s.
Introduction
Teaching and Learning Process
� 試舉一教學實例:� 步驟一老師在黑板上貼著顏色不同的卡片:紅色、藍色、棕色、白色等。� 步驟二老師說:”Point to the red card.”(指著紅色卡片)並作動作。學生只聽不作。
� 步驟三老師再說:”Point to the blue card.” (指藍色卡片),並作動作。學生仍只聽不作動作。
� 步驟四重複動作教其他顏色。� 步驟五示範多次給學生看後,老師說:” Point to the red card.”師生一起作動作。� 步驟六演練其他顏色。� 步驟七每位學生發一組顏色卡,教其他命令據以加強顏色練習。例如:“Hold up
the white card.” “Kiss the blue card.”等。� 步驟八唱歌作動作。� Red, red, red touch your head,� Blue, blue, blue, tie your shoe,� Brown, brown, brown, touch the ground,� White, white, white, take a bite.
� Resources: http://en.tp.edu.tw/teachmethod/totalphysicalresponse.htm高中英文科教學資源中心
� Red, red, red touch your head,
� Blue, blue, blue, tie your shoe,
� Brown, brown, brown,
touch the ground,
� White, white, white,
take a bite.
Teaching and Learning
Process
Principles p. 113
� The role of the teacher
The director of all student behavior (initially)
� The role of the students
Imitators of the teacher’s nonverbal model.
After 20 hours of instruction, students will be
ready to speak.
� The nature of student-teacher interaction
T-> Ss, T-> individual students.
T speaking, Ss responding nonverbally
Role reversal
Ss become more verbal. T responds nonverbal.
� The nature of student-student interaction
Ss perform the actions together and learn by watching
each other. Ss issue commands to other Ss as to the T.
Principles p. 113
� The role of the students’ native language
TPR is usually introduced in the students’
native language. After the introduction, the
teacher uses mainly the target language in
the class. Meaning is made clear through
body movements.
Principles p. 113
Techniques p. 116
� Using commands to direct behavior
� Role reversal
� Action Sequence
Weaknesses (www.onestopenglish.com)
1. Difficult for a teacher to use just commands and responses for an entire lesson
2. Input restricted to imperatives
3. Difficult to extend beyond beginner level
4. Relevance for the real world is questionable, YET we should remember that:
� It was not designed for adults
� Can be used with other methods
� Motivating and useful for certain learners
Activities p. 118
� In the action sequence (operation) that we
looked at, the teacher and the students
pretend to write and mail a letter. Think of
three other common activities which could be
used as action sequences in the classroom.
Make a list of commands for each one.
� The following activity is for your reference.
TPR – Identifying Parts of the
Body
Simple commands:
Comb your hair.
Brush your teeth.
Wash your ears.
Stamp your feet!
Raise your hands.
Touch your nose.
Pat your stomach.
Wiggle your toes!
Count your fingers.
Nod your head.
Close your eyes
And go to bed.
TPR – Identifying Parts of the
Body
� Vocabulary
1. ears
2. eyes
3. feet
4. fingers
5. hair
6. hand
1. head
2. nose
3. stomach
4. teeth
5. toes
From Sesame Street
TPR – Identifying Parts of the
Body
� Chant
This is the end of the talk!