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!