3/The Total Physical Response Method (TPR)

The Total Physical Response Method (TPR)
PR is now a household name among teachers of foreign
languages all over the world. It is widely acclaimed as a highly effective
method at beginning levels, and a standard requirement in the instruction
of young learners. It is also admired as a method due to its inherent
simplicity, making it accessible to a wide range of teachers and learning
environments.
In the 1960s, James Asher began experimenting with a method he
called Total Physical Response. It became well-known in the 1970s. in
this method, items are presented in the foreign language as orders,
commands and instructions requiring a physical response from the learner
(e.g., opening a window or standing up). This is thought to lead to more
meaningful and effective learning. It can be summarized as follows:
1. Pupils respond physically to verbal instructions.
2. Pupils slowly absorb language till they are ready to use it (the
silence period).
3. Pupils respond to the teacher s use of props to teach (flashcards,
wall-charts, realia, and actions).
4. Pupils are encouraged to act out situations and dialogues.
The method drew on several other insights in addition to the trace
theory of memory, according to which memory is stimulated and
increased when it is closely associated with motor activity. The method
owes a lot to some basic principles of language acquisition in young
learners, most notably that the process involves a substantial amount of
listening and comprehension in combination with various physical
responses such as smiling, reaching, grabbing, looking, etc. It also
focuses on the idea that learning should be as fun and stress as possible.