Total Physical Response








Description

What is it?
Total Physical Response (TPR) is a method of teaching language or vocabulary concepts by using physical movement to react to verbal input.

Why Use It?
The process mimics the way that infants learn their first language, and it reduces student inhibitions and lowers stress. The purpose of TPR is to create a brain link between speech and action to boost language and vocabulary learning.

Checklist:

  1. Prepare
    Select the vocabulary that you are going to teach. Gather any equipment, props or pictures you will need to illustrate the meaning of the words.

  2. Teacher Modeling
    Say the new vocabulary word for the students. As you do this, use gestures, facial expressions, props or body movement to illustrate the meaning of the word.

  3. Student Modeling
    Have student volunteers mimic the same gestures, facial expressions, use of props or body movement modeled as you say the word.

  4. Student Participation
    Have all students mimic the same gestures, facial expressions, use of props or body movement modeled by the teacher and student volunteers. Ask them to say the word as they are making the movement. Vary this activity by then doing the action and while students say the word.

  5. Writing
    Write the word or phrase where all students can see it so that students can make the connection between oral and written words.

  6. Repetition and Practice
    Teach the next word or phrase using the same method. Review and practice words with students multiple times to ensure learning. Recycle words regularly to make sure that students do not forget old words.

    1. Here is what this might look like during a given week:

      1. Day 1-2: Show each visual, say the corresponding sentence while showing the corresponding movement. Students see the visual, listen, and copy the movement. (They do not speak yet and they do not see text.) Repeat each image 2-3 times.

      2. Days 2-5: Show each visual and say the corresponding sentence together with the movement. Students echo the teacher. (They do speak now but there is no text). As they become proficient, student leaders take over. Variations can include doing this in parallel lines with one line having their backs to the images, in small groups, partners, etc.

Quick Tips

  • Total Physical Response (TPR) may be used to teach many types of vocabulary but works best when teaching vocabulary connected with action. It is an effective strategy to use with English Language Learners as well as with native speakers when learning new words.

Resources

Activities to Reinforce TPR (Teacher Toolkit):

  • TPR Circles

    • Organize the students into a circle around the teacher. The teacher says the word and the last person to do the action is out. This person then stands behind the teacher and watches for the student who does the action last. Eventually there is only one student, he or she is the winner. Level up this game by trying it with eyes closed!

  • Simon Says

    • Play Simon Says. The teacher gives a command and students should only do it if the teacher "Simon says..." at the start. The teacher might say, "Simon says, 'slice some bread'" or "Simon says, 'chop an onion'" and the students must do the action. However if the teacher says, "Whisk an egg" the students shouldn't do this. If anyone does the action that Simon doesn't say then they are out and have to watch for the mistakes of the other students.

  • Sounds

    • The teacher will first get the students to do the actions connected with each vocabulary word. Then, the teacher adds a sound related to the word and the students practice hearing the word and doing the action along with making the sound. The students are then ready to give commands to each other.

  • Slap-It

    • Divide the class into groups of 4-5. Pass out only picture cards to each group. Lay the picture cards face up, in the middle of the group. Call out the terms. The first student to touch the corresponding image keeps the card. Whoever has the most cards at the end wins. "Flyswatter" is similar, except that two students come up to the front and hit pictures projected onto the board with (clean) flyswatters.

  • Charades/Pictionary:

    • Divide the class into groups, and have a representative from each group act out or draw phrases you’ve written on a piece of paper (I like to give the option to do either). Give each group a timed session for guessing, and let the artist/actor accumulate as many papers as possible for points. Do a few rounds and see who wins.Reverse charades is a fun twist as well. In this version, the representative from the group is the only one who doesn’t see the phrase. Their whole team can act it out and they have to guess.

  • AISD Multilingual Education Team (MET) Resources for TPR

Did you know?

  • This strategy is part of the Multilingual Framework for Oracy to Literacy.

  • Pelase contact the Elementary Multilingual Education Team (MET) for additional support with this strategy.

  • Language learning should be stress-free for the learner (a low affective filter leads to better acquisition). The teacher should infuse their lessons with enthusiasm, visuals, and movement. Comprehension and communication are valued over error correction and explicit grammar instruction.