Evidence

Total phsical responce Total Physical Response (TPR) is a method of teaching language or vocabulary concepts by using physical movement to react to verbal input.(FACT) 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.(REASON) TPR was developed by Dr. James Asher, of San Jose State University, in the late 1960’s.(STATISTIC) It is based on the theory that infants don’t learn language by arn languages as they watch the physical responses to their words. If they say “mama” and mama gets excited, smiles and exclaims, “She’s looking at me! She’s saying my name!”, the baby sees the reaction, and her brain connects the word with the actions. How to use TPR in the online ESL classroom Once we understand the answer to the question ‘What is TPR?,” the next question for us as online educators is “How do we apply this to teaching English through the internet?” Here are some ideas to get your TPR creativity flowing: Movement songs are also fun and engaging for younger students. I still remember the actions from “I’m a Little Teapot” and “The Itsy Bitsy Spider,” and I was probably two when I learned them! The students are acting out vocabulary words, learning language structures and having fun all at the same time. Meanwhile, their brains are making connections that we don’t fully understand but will help them to retain new words. And, the addition of music while teaching helps to form even more of these types of connections.(EXAMPLE) “An important condition for successful language learning is the absence of stress. First language acquisition takes place in a stress-free environment, according to Asher, whereas the adult language learning environment often causes considerable stress and anxiety. The key to stress-free learning is to tap into the natural bio-program for language development and thus to recapture the relaxed and pleasurable experiences that accompany first language learning. By focusing on meaning interpreted through movement, rather than on language forms studied in the abstract, the learner is said to be liberated from self-conscious and stressful situations and is able to devote full energy to learning.”~ Professor Franz Ludescher, MAS²(CITATION) ¹ “Total Physical Response (TPR).” The-teacher-toolkit. Accessed November 19, 2018. http://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/total-physical-response-tpr. ² Ludescher, Franz, MAS. “Language Acquisition.” Didactics. Accessed April 09, 2019. http://www2.vobs.at/ludescher/Ludescher/LAcquisition/language acquisition.htm.