Total Physical Response

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Total Physical Response (TPR) describes one of Dr. James Asher developed a holistic language teaching method that can be used particularly in pre-school and primary areas. It is based on the assumption that learning a second or further foreign language is based on learning the mother tongue in childhood. The process assumes a long phase of developing listening comprehension before speech is itself produced. The learners react to linguistic commands with body movements and thus internalize elements of the foreign language to be learned . TPR can be assigned to the behavioristic language teaching methods.

Principles

" TPR is based on the premise that the human brain is equipped with a biological program for language acquisition of all natural languages ​​on earth - including sign language . The process becomes visible when one observes how children internalize their mother tongue." (translated quote by James J. Asher)

Orientation towards the acquisition of a mother tongue is based on communication between parents and children, which has both verbal and non-verbal, physical constituents. Children react physically to speech impulses from their parents, which reinforce the non-verbal reactions with verbal ones. This process takes several months before the child is able to produce speech on their own. The teacher using TPR mimics this process in class.

application

  • Teachers and students adopt a relationship similar to the parent-child relationship.
  • Students react to the linguistic input of the teacher with movements.
  • The activities can be simple (as in the game "Simon says ...") to complex in connection with grammar (imperative, tenses, aspect).
  • TPR is suitable for establishing a classroom discourse in primary education.
  • 5 phases that do not necessarily have to follow one another, but can be spread over a longer course of the lesson: In the first phase, the teacher gives an order and carries it out himself while the students observe it. In the second phase, the students carry out the command themselves, but still orientate themselves towards the teacher, which is omitted in the third phase. In the fourth phase, the students repeat the command and in the fifth phase, the students take on the role of teacher to give orders themselves. (see learning through teaching )

advantages

  • Fun, relaxation, exercise
  • no great preparation effort for the teacher
  • Holistic language experience makes memorizing easier

See also

swell

  1. ↑ Total Physical Response, known as TPR by Dr. James J. Asher
  2. ↑ Lovic, Thomas (1996): "Total Physical Response: Description and Assessment of an Innovative Method" In: Foreign languages ​​teaching and learning . Pp. 38-49.

literature

  • Asher, James (1986): Learning another language through actions. The complete teacher's guidebook . Los Gatos, Cal .: Sky Oaks Productions.

Web links