TPR, or Total Physical Response, is a language teaching method that uses physical movement in response to verbal commands to help reduce stress associated with language learning. It is based on how infants acquire their first language through comprehending and then producing responses. Using TPR, students first focus on comprehending commands and responding physically before being asked to respond verbally. The method encourages students to perform physical activities in response to commands given by the teacher in the target language to help students internalize vocabulary and grammar structures in a stress-free, comprehensible way similar to first language acquisition.

1. TPR – TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE
James Asher

3. Physical Giving
movement Instructions
TPR – TOTAL
PHYSICAL
RESPONSE
STRESS Following
Instructions

4. Is a language teaching method built around the coordination
of speech and action. This method was developed principally
to reduce the stress associated with language learning.

5. The influence of the first
language acquisition process
Use a similar method to how
infants learn the first language
Young children respond
physically to comands before
Comprehension approach they begin to produce verbal
responses

6. Verbal
Response
Physical
Response
Commands

7. Left hemisphere Right hemisphere
Language activity Responsible for
motor activities
Analytical Triggers left
hemisphere
activities
Objective Subjective
Looks at parts Looks at wholes
Sequential Intuitive
Children acquire language through motor movement – a right hemispehre
activity

8. Commands encourage students
Stress-free approach to learning to perform physical activity and
a second language relax
Structuralist or grammar-based view of language
Language is made up of abstractions and non-abstractions (nouns, imperative
verbs)
Language can be internalized as wholes or chunks rather than single lexical items.
There is no further elaboration

9. Teach oral proficiency to produce learners who can communicate uninhibitedly
and intelligibly with native speakers
Comprehension

10. Sentence-based syllabus with grammatical and lexical criteria being primary but
focusing on meaning not on form. Grammar is taught inductively
The choice of grammar and vocabulary are determined by the situations presented
in the classroom

11. The activities are basicaly action-based drills in the imperative form in
combination with other techniques
Conversational dialogues are delayed until after 120 hours of instruction

12. Learner Roles Teacher Roles Roles of
materials
Listens and Active and direct No basic text
responds
physically to
commands
Monitors and Selects and Teachers voice,
evaluate their models the actions and
own process material gestures
Little influence Prepare detailed Pictures, word
over content of lesson plans (no charts, realia
learning time to
improvise)

13. Advantages Dissadvantages
Fun and easy Harder for advanced levels
Good tool for building vocabulary Students can’t be creative or
express their own thoughts
Good for begginers level Could get boring with time
Good for mixed ability levels Challenging for shy students
Good for kinesthetic learners

14. TPR should be in association with other methods and
techniques and it is compatible with other approaches to
teaching.