USING TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE (TPR) IN TEACHING ENGLISH TO YOUNG LEARNERS
Name : Azalea
Devi Laes
NIM : 2201415136
WA : 085870483114
NIM : 2201415136
WA : 085870483114
In
the last microteaching, I chose TPR method to teach the students. Total Physical Response (TPR) is a
method of teaching a foreign or second language (target language) by developing
listening comprehension through a series of commands to which students respond
with physical activity. It was founded by James Asher, a professor of
psychology, in the late 1960’s and is still considered and used as a valuable
linguistic tool in teaching a target language, especially in initial stages of
instruction. It combines language and gesture, thus making language acquisition
more natural and memorable (Asher 2007; Curtain and Dahlberg 2010;
Larsen-Freeman 2004; Morley 2001). Learners are not expected to speak while
performing actions, which makes TPR stress-free and suitable for teaching
beginners, either young learners, teenagers or adults (Asher 2007).
The
basic principles of the method are drawn from developmental psychology, theory of learning,
brain research, and humanistic pedagogy (Richards and Rodgers 2006, 73). Asher
believes that learning a target language should be similar to native language
acquisition: in learning a native language, comprehension comes before speaking
and a child first responds to commands physically, and only later verbally; as
affective factors are very important in learning, teachers should create a
comfortable learning atmosphere to lower the affective filter and to help learning;
gestures should be combined with listening comprehension to increase long-term
retention; since brain processes information faster and accepts it as reliable
if listening is followed by movement (right brain learning), without speaking
or translation (left brain learning), learners should be silent not to cause
’brain overload’: by silently responding to commands, learners internalize the
new language (phonology, vocabulary, grammar and semantics) simultaneously,
without any analysis, and speaking, reading and writing should follow later,
after a solid foundation has been created by TPR (Asher 2007). Asher draws the
above principles on three very influential learning hypotheses: 1. there is an
innate language learning bio program which involves the following steps and
processes: children develop listening comprehension before they start to speak;
children’s listening comprehension is acquired by responding physically to
parents’ commands; solid listening comprehension enables speech to develop
naturally, with no effort; 2. TPR is directed to right brain learning (unlike
most language teaching methods), and right brain activities make it possible
for the left brain hemisphere to process language for speaking, reading and
writing; 3. first language acquisition happens in and is fostered by
stress-free environment, which means that similar conditions should be created
in target language learning: TPR reduces anxiety by sequencing the introduction
of skills and by focusing on meaning (by combining listening comprehension and
physical response) instead of on language form and grammatical structures
(Richards and Rodgers 2006, 74–75). However, the main aim of TPR method is to
teach basic speaking and communication skill (ibid., 75), and it is achieved by
exposing learners to carefully graded vocabulary and grammar structures as „the
material gradually increases in complexity so that each new lesson builds on the ones before“
(Lightbown and Spada 2006, 146). TPR is a
form of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach, which was
developed in the 1980’s, proposing that learners learn a target language best
when using it for meaningful communication, while grammar explanations are not
needed. Although TPR can enable learners to reach high proficiency levels and
to build up considerable knowledge, its potential is limited when it comes to
developing speaking skills (Cameron 2008, 107). Still, this method is widely
used in teaching beginners and is quite effective when teaching children: the
complexity of the input is gradually increased, children are involved in
listening, responding to commands, and doing actions with a song or a story,
and after some time they take over from the teacher and give commands
themselves.
Another
theory about TPR principles is from Larsen-Freeman (2000: 111-113). He states
that there are some principles of TPR; they are:
1.
Meaning in the target language can often
be conveyed through actions. Memory is activated through learner response.
Beginning foreign language instruction should address the right hemisphere of
the brain, the part which controls nonverbal behavior. The target language
should be presented in chunks, not just word by word.
2.
The students’ understanding of the
target language should be developed before speaking.
3.
Students can initially learn one part of
the language rapidly by moving their bodies.
4.
The imperative is a powerful linguistic
device through which the teacher can direct student behavior.
5.
Students can learn through observing
actions as well as by performing the actions themselves.
6.
It is very important that students feel
successful. Feeling of success and low anxiety facilitate learning.
7.
Students should not be made to memorize
fixed routines.
8.
Correction should be carried out in an
unobtrusive manner.
9.
Students must develop flexibility in
understanding novels combination of target language chunks. They need to
understand more than the exact sentences used in training. Novelty is also
motivating.
10.
Language learning is more effective when
it is fun.
11.
Spoken language should be emphasized
over written language.
12.
Students will begin to speak when they
are ready.
13.
Students are expected to make errors
when they first begin speaking. Teachers should be tolerant of them. Work on
the fine details of the language should be postponed until students have become
somewhat proficient. Those principles above must be applied well when TPR is
used as a method in teaching and learning process. It is important to know the
principles of a method before teaching so that the teaching and learning
process will go well.
In
the last microteaching, I hope by the end of the lesson, students are able to
give a command to their friends about “Making Onion Rings” using the example
that are given by the teacher. Based on my audiences’ comments, the strengths
of my microteaching performance are first, I chose the interesting topic for my
TPR activities in the classroom. My audiences stated that I am creative to use
the real onion and the real equipments for the activities. Second, my audiences
stated that I spoke loudly when give the commands to the students. It is the plus
point as a teacher. Third, there is no setting in my performance. All of my
performance starting from the opening until the closing is running naturally. The
weakness of my microteaching performance is nervous. To be honest, the feeling
of nervous is still exist in myself and it happened in the opening session.
There
is a factor that must be consider when applying TPR method, one of them is the
students level and their English ability. In some cases, the teacher is ready
with the perfect lesson plan, but the students can’t follow the activities
because maybe some students can’t quite grasp
the concept of the lesson. So, before make the lesson plan, it is better for
the teacher to customize the topic with the students’ level.
My plan to improve my
teaching skill is later I have to add a fun
element to my lesson such as Simon says, categories, charades, TPR photograph,
and wall to wall TPR.
a.
a. Simon Says
Hugely popular in any
classroom and works with every level but is especially effective in Kinder
classes. Younger students with limited English use TPR as a way of memorizing
the target vocabulary.
b.
Categories
Have all students stand
up. Set a category i.e. Animals. Call out a word and after each word do the
action. If you call out ‘elephant’ you should imitate an elephant and have
students follow along. If the word doesn’t fit in that particular category
and students follow along, they are eliminated. For example, if you say
‘hamburger’ and students do TPR for ‘hamburger’ they are out, as it doesn’t fit
the ‘Animals’ category.
c.
Charades
Another classic game and
a great one for utilizing TPR. This can be done as a class or in smaller
groups. It’s usually more fun having teams compete against each other.
Choose two students to come to front of the classroom. The teacher shows a
flashcard with the target vocabulary to these two students only. Students must
act out what they saw without speaking. The first team to guess correctly wins
a point. Continue playing until all students have tried.
d.
TPR
Photographs
Choose one student to be
the photographer. Teacher shouts out some words, e.g. happy, sad, angry, cold,
scared. The remaining students will do TPR for these actions. When the
photographer shouts ‘Freeze’ everyone should stop. You can allow students to
take turns as the photographer and in the role of mini-teacher.
e.
Wall
to Wall TPR
Get one group standing
against one side wall and the others on the opposite side. Shout out the
vocabulary. Have them do the action whilst racing to the opposite side, trying
to avoid the other team coming towards them
Video for Total Physical Response (TPR):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Mk6RRf4kKs&t=353s
References
Asher,
J. (1977). Learning Another Language
Through Actions: The Complete Teacher's Guidebook. California:
Sky Oaks Productions
Richards,
J.C., & Rodgers, T.S. (2001). Approaches
and methods in language teaching. USA: Cambridge University Press.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Mk6RRf4kKs&t=353s
Savic,
Vera. (2014). Total Physical Response (TPR)
Activities in Teaching English to Young Learners. Serbia:
University of Kragujevac.
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