Total Physical Response (TPR)

TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE (TPR) 

Definition 

Total Physical Response is a method of teaching language that was introduced by James Asher. This method encourage the use of  physical movement to react to verbal input, as this helps reduces student inhibitors and lower their affective filter. This also enables students to react to language without thinking too much, facilitates long term retention, and lowers students anxiety levels. In order for teachers to use TPR effectively, it is important for them to plan regular sessions that progress in a logical order, and keep several principles in mind. 

Asher's Total Physical Response is a "natural response" since Asher believes first and second language learning as parallel processes. He argues that second language teaching and learning should reflect the naturalistic processes of first language learning. There are three main processes: 

a) Before a child develop a ability to speak, they develop a listening competence. At the early stages of first language acquisition, they are able to understand complex utterances, which is difficult for them to imitate or produce spontaneously. Asher takes into account that a student may be making a 'mental blueprint'  of the language that will make it possible to produce spoken language later during the period of listening.

b) Children ability in listening comprehension is gained because children needs to respond physically to spoken language in the form of parental command 

c) when a foundation in listening comprehension has been established, speech envolves naturally and effortlessly out of it. 

Asher believes that it is vital to base foreign language learning upon how children learn their native language, especially TPR is designed based upon how children learn their mother tongue. This method also considers an individual to learn best when he is actively involved and grasp what he hears ( Haynes, 2004;Larsen Freeman, 1986;Linse, 2005). 

Here's a YouTube link that shows a kindergarten teacher Herbert Puchta engages young learners using Total Physical Response (TPR). 

http://youtu.be/1Mk6RRf4kKs

My view on this video, is that Total Physical Response is a wonderful way to teach language because it is learning by doing, which children would do. In this video, these young learners are German who are learning English , and it seems that TPR is helpful for them in understanding and acquiring the target language. 

Characteristics of the Method 

• Imperative drills are useful classroom activity in TPR
• Learners plays main roles. One is a listener, while the other is a performer. They listen attentively and respond physically to the teachers command 
• Learners need to respond individually as well as collectively, as they have minor influence on the content of learning. This content will be decided mainly by the teacher
• At the beginning of learning, students are expected to recognise and respond to novel combinations of previously taught items. These novel utterances are recombinations of constituents the teacher used for direct training 

For example, in the classroom, students will follow the teacher. The teacher directs students with "Walk to the table!"  and "Sit on the chair!". These are familiar with students since they have practiced responding to them. Moreover, students are also to produce novel combinations of their own. 

With this method, the teacher plays an active and direct role. The director of the stage play in which the students are the actors. 

Theories of TPR

• Krashen language acquisition theory

        Children who are exposed to a huge number of language input before speaking. Language Learners can also be benefited from following this 'natural progression' from comprehension and production, instead of a more normal situation where these learners are asked to produce instantly. 

• Krashen's affective filter theory (lower stress, anxiety, thus lower affective filter)

Students learn more when they are relaxed. This is due to their affective filter, which acts as a mental barrier between the students and information is raised, that makes these students nervous and easily (painless) corrected by the teacher. Language is remember easily and can be store in the long term. 

                                                                                               (Shearon, n.d)

Advantages of TPR

• The TPR instruction is easy to implement and no translation. It helps both students and teacher make the transition to an English Language Environment 
• No disadvantage for academically weak students: TPR does not depend on the "left or right brained", as it gives all students a chance to shine in a new environment 
• Lowers students affective filter and stress level: TPR does not require a spoken response from students. Also, if this was carried out effectively, students always understand what is happening during the Total Physical Response method, which results in increasing their confidence level and lowering their affective filter. 
• The repetition acts as a disguise, where there will be more effective input. A skillful use of Total Physical Response allows us to drill language targets repeatedly without losing students interests 

Disadvantages of TPR

• Students who did not use these things may find it embarrassing. This may be the case, where the teacher prepared students to do some actions, the students feel happier about copying 
• This method is suitable for beginner learners, where it is clear that TPR is suitable for children at the lower level because of the target language lends itself in the activities. It is also used for the intermediate and advanced learners. For example, when teaching "how to walk" (stumble, tiptoe, and stagger), and teach cooking verbs to the Intermediate students. (stir, grate, and etc) 
• When teacher uses TPR, they will have trouble teaching abstract vocabulary or expressions 

 The Application of TPR in the classroom

  TPR can be used to teach and practice many things as : 

•   vocabulary connected with actions ( smile, crop, headache, and wriggle)
•   teaching grammatical items ( 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)
•   instructions (Stand up and touch your nose)                       (Widodo, 2005)

Basic Total Techniques ( More Applications) 

The teacher introduces the language through the use of commands ( imperative sentences) and has students demonstrate their understanding through action responses. A sequence of events that happens in the classroom: 

1. The teacher says the command ( sit down, turn the page of your textbook, and etc) as they perform the action 

2. The teacher says the command as both teacher and students will perform the action 

3. The teacher says the command but only students will perform the action 

4. The teacher will tell one student in the classroom at time to perform the action 

5. The roles of both teacher and student are reversed. Students will give commands to the teacher and other students 

Examples 

The teacher  and student allow for command expansion of new sentences 

While the initial instructions are simple within a few minutes directions can be expanded in complexity such as:

• Sit down 
• Take your exercise book out 
• Open the book on page 22
• Lily, please sit next to Jordan 
• Jordan share the book with Lily, please 

                                                                                                                             (ICAL, 1998-2014)

My Personal View of Total Physical Response 

Overall, I think Total Physical Response is a great method to teach students, especially children at the lower levels. As a future educator teaching in a primary classroom, I will consider myself of using this method to let my students feel relaxed and comfortable in their learning and learn the target language at the same time. Also, teach them some classroom instructions which requires them to move around and do the actions. 

Interesting YouTube Clip that explains Total Physical Response (TPR) 

1. http://youtu.be/N00coyNZYVk
2. http://youtu.be/YuS3ku-PSL8

The second YouTube link shows that a teacher uses the Total Physical Response (TPR) method to teach adult learners. But in my opinion, I feel like this method may not be suited to teach adults to a certain extend, because some of them might feel embarrassed in learning and repeating simple vocabulary, but at the same time it is good for adult learners who want to learn to speak English, where this method will provide easy techniques for them to use English in their daily communication. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, it is an effective method for teachers to teach children on how to follow instructions. With using this method, short TPR activities, used judiciously and integrated with other activities that can be seen as highly motivating and linguistically purposeful. Teachers should also remember to make careful decisions when using communicative language at the beginner level that can make Total Physical Response related activities valid and useful. In TPR, classroom warmers and games are based either consciously or unconsciously. Then again, it is up to the teachers to decide which method they would like to use in their classrooms.

References

ICAL.(1998-2014). Total Physical Response in TEFL[Electronic Version]. Retrieved November 29, 2014, from 

http://www.icaltefl.com/index.php/teaching-techniques/total-physical-response.html

Shearon, B. (n.d). James Asher's Total Physical Response: A Short Introduction[Electronic Version]. Retrieved November 29, 2014, from 

http://www.c-english.com/files/tpr.pdf

Widodo, H.P. (2005). Teaching children using a Total Physical Response ( TPR) method: Rethinking. Bahasa dan Seni, 33(2), 235-238.