This document provides information about planning and teaching a lesson using the Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS) method. It discusses circling to establish details about characters and locations, planning a story with a problem and solution, and using embedded readings and extended readings. Guidelines are provided for teachers to take turns adding to the story on different days, such as establishing background on Monday, introducing a problem on Tuesday, and reading portions of the extended story on Wednesday and Thursday. The document emphasizes comprehensible input techniques like repetition, specificity, and acting out stories, as well as checking for understanding with student actors.

1. Brain RulesBrain Rules
CirclingCircling
Planning a StoryPlanning a Story
Reading and DiscussingReading and Discussing
a Storya Story
TPRS and GradingTPRS and Grading

2. Slideshare.net/BlaineraySlideshare.net/Blaineray

10. Make every
minute
COUNT!!!

11. We focus
on
FLUENCY
Fluency andTPRS®Fluency andTPRS®

12. In order to successfullyIn order to successfully
teachteach fluencyfluency
the teacher must:the teacher must:
 Focus on the details of a storyFocus on the details of a story
 NotNot focus on the languagefocus on the language

13. TPRS® is a method of second-
language teaching that uses
highly-interactive stories to
provide comprehensible input
and create an atmosphere of
immersion in the classroom.
What is TPRS®?

14. Use words students know
Speak slowly
Key 1: ComprehensibleKey 1: Comprehensible

15. Repetitive questions
Continually start over
Add details
Multiple locations
Multiple characters
Verify details with
actors and with the class
Key 2: RepetitionKey 2: Repetition

16. Recycle the Story
✓ at any point, stop, go back,
and review the story
✓ re-circle the recycled parts
✓ continue story when you get
back to where you left off

17. Surprise details
“Playing the game”
Personalization
Positive exaggeration
Key 3: InterestKey 3: Interest

18. Teach to the Eyes!
✓teach STUDENTS not
curriculum
✓look in individual student’s eyes
when teaching
✓hold students accountable
✓always check for understanding

19. Story Retells
Have students frequently retell the story to
their partners
✓after the story ends
✓have superstar retell story to class
✓Limit the time to two or three minutes

20. Shelter Vocabulary
Limit vocabulary to a few
hundred words per year

21. Don’t shelter grammar
Use whatever grammar
is necessary to express
meaning.

22. Use lessons each dayUse lessons each day
to practice structure.to practice structure.
Structure is the keyStructure is the key
to fluency.to fluency.
Teaching fluency…Teaching fluency…

23. Data -TeacherData -Teacher

24. Data -TeacherData -Teacher

25. Brain Rules

26. SHORT
TERM
MEMORY
Brain Processing ModelBrain Processing Model
E
N
V
I
R
O
N
M
E
N
T
E
N
V
I
R
O
N
M
E
N
T
HEARING
LONG-TERM
STORAGE
SMELL
SIGHT
TOUCH
TASTE
PERCEPTUAL
REGISTER
OUT OUT OUT
WORKING
MEMORY
Sousa, David A.. How the Brain Learns.
Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press, 2006.

27. Rule #1:
We don’t pay attention toWe don’t pay attention to
boring thingsboring things..

28. Rule #2:
We have 30 seconds to repeatWe have 30 seconds to repeat
something before it is forgotten.something before it is forgotten.

29. Rule #3:
Students must pay attentionStudents must pay attention
in order to learn.in order to learn.
Medina, John. Brain Rules. Seattle: Pear Press, 2008. pp. 76, 79.

30. How do we get them to pay attention?
•“The novel stimuli – the
unusual, the unpredictable,
or distinctive are powerful
ways to harness attention.”

31. Emotions get our
attention.

32. People usually forget 90% of what
they learn in a class within 30 days.

33. Rule #4
Most of what we learn is visual.Most of what we learn is visual.
• Dramatize the story
• Props

34. dramatize the story

35. ✓ wigs & hats
✓ cardboard cutouts
✓ funny noses
✓ funny glasses
✓ stuffed animals
✓ toys
use props

36. Rule 5:
The initial learning is important.

37. One could increase the life span of a
memory simply by repeating the
information in timed intervals.

38. Rule 6:
There are two types of
memories

39. 1. Non-declarative1. Non-declarative
These are things learned by feel such as riding a bike,These are things learned by feel such as riding a bike,
playing the piano, or jumping rope. Theseplaying the piano, or jumping rope. These
memories are not in our conscious awareness.memories are not in our conscious awareness.
2. Declarative memories
“The shirt is blue”
“Jupiter is a planet.”

40. What we remember after 24 hours…
HEAR 5%
READ 10%
AUDIO-VISUAL 20%
DEMONSTRATE 30%
DISCUSS 50%
DO 75%
EXPLAIN / APPLY 90%
Sousa, David A.. How the Brain Learns. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press, 2006.

41. Brain RulesBrain Rules
CirclingCircling
Planning a StoryPlanning a Story
Reading and DiscussingReading and Discussing
a Storya Story
TPRS and GradingTPRS and Grading

42. Es (it) gab (gave) ein
Mädchen
There was a girl
Sie war
She was
• Was? What
• Wer? Who
• Wo? Where

43. Es gab ein Mädchen
There was a girl
Sie war
She was
kein
not one
oder
or
und
and
nicht
not
• Was?
• What?
•
• Wer?
• Who?
•
Wo?
• Where?

44. Es gab ein Mädchen
There was a girl
Sie war
She was
Sie hatte
She had
kein
not one
oder
or
und
and
nicht
not
• Was?
• What?
•
• Wer?
• Who?
•
Wo?
• Where?
•
• Warum?
• Why
• Wie?
• How

45. • Es gab ein Mädchen
There was a girl
Sie war
She was
• Sie wollte zwei Nasen haben
She wanted to have two noses
Sie ist (is) nach (to) …… gegangen
She went to (gone)
• Sie hatte
She had
•
kein
not one
mit
with
oder
or
und
and
• Was?
• What?
•
• Wer?
• Who?
•
Wo?
• Where?
•
• Warum?
• Why
• Wohin?
• Where to?

46. Circling:
the heart
of
TPRS®

47. Circling
1. Positive statement
2. ? with a yes answer
3. Either/or questions
4. ? with a no answer
5. Restate the negative and restate the positive
6. Who?
7. What? Where? When? How? Why?
How much?, etc…
8. Positive statement

48. Teach a sentence
• Past tense to the class.
• Present tense to the student actor.
• Verify with both the class and the student
actor.
• Student actor either says the answer or reads
it.

49. Step one
Add a sentence
Elena was a girl.
Talk to the class in the past tense.
Ask Elena:
Are you are girl?
Yes, I am a girl.
Yes, you are a girl.
Class, Elena was a girl.

50. Step two
Add a location
You now have two sentences
Elena was a girl.
She was in Arizona.
Talk to the class in the past.
Talk to your student actor in the
present.
Verify what she says and then talk
to the class.

51. Step 3
Add a more specific location.
Now you have 3 sentences.
Elena was a girl.
She was in Arizona.
She was in Happy Valley, Arizona.

52. Step 4
Add another location.
Elena was a girl.
She was in Arizona.
She was in Happy Valley.
She was in Panda Express.

53. Step 5
Add a parallel character. Compare
and contrast both characters.
Elena was a girl in Happy Valley,
Arizona at Panda Express.
Susie was a girl in Blaine,
Minnesota, at Starbucks.
Compare and contrast the two
characters.
Verify the details with your student
actors.

54. Brain RulesBrain Rules
CirclingCircling
Planning a StoryPlanning a Story
Reading and DiscussingReading and Discussing
a Storya Story
TPRS and GradingTPRS and Grading

55. Create a TPRS® Lesson Plan

56. A Story has two parts
Background information

57. Background information
Often will set up a story and
give information to be used in
the story.

58. Background information (Monday)
1. Names, and places
2. Multiple characters
3. Doesn’t need to pertain to story
4. Practice any word or structure
5. Use for compare and contrast
6. Verify details with actors

59. Parallel characters are used
to compare and contrast.
They also make the story
last much longer.

60. Tuesday- day 2
Every story
has a problem!

61. Problem has 3 parts
• Introduce the problem by stating
someone wants something.
• Make an unsuccessful attempt to
resolve the problem.
• Resolve the problem.

62. Variables
Every story has
variables. Use your
variables to create
surprise details.
Surprise details are
what make the stories
interesting.

63. Specificity
go from the
general
to the specific
general
specific

64. Problem: A boy wanted a cat.
Sentences:
________________________________________
________________________________________
__
In the first line, list a fact of the story, circle the
variable or variables, and list the alternative variables.
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
______
Lesson PlanLesson Plan

65. Start with 2 or 3 structuresStart with 2 or 3 structures
 These are the structures you want to
practice.
 Should be basic, high frequency
words.
 Always translate the words of these
structures.

66. Problem: A boy wanted a cat.
Sentences:
There was a boy.
He was a boy. .
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________
Lesson PlanLesson Plan

67. Read the story
There was a boy. He didn’t have a cat.
He went to Green River, Wyoming.
There was a girl. The girl didn’t have a
cat.
The boy went to Brooklyn. There was a
cat in Brooklyn. The boy picked up the
cat. He was happy because he had a cat.

68. Lesson PlanLesson Plan
Problem: A boy wanted a cat.
Sentences: The boy didn’t have a cat. He went to Wyoming.
The boy - What don’t we know about him? Name? Where he lives? How
old is he? Favorite music? What is in his bedroom? Who are his friends?
Why does he want a bird?
Information: Where did he live? (Three levels of specificity) Did he have a cat?
Did he have an elephant? What did he have? What did he want? Where did
he go?
Surprise details: Add proper nouns as a surprise. Kmart or Dollar Tree for
locations. Add names and places that are a surprise.

69. Lesson PlanLesson Plan
Problem: A boy wanted a cat.
Sentences: The boy went to Wyoming. There was a girl but there wasn’t
a cat.
Green River, Wyoming - Our character always goes some place. There was a
girl there but not a cat.
Brooklyn - The boy went to Brooklyn. There was a cat. He picked up the cat.

70. Brain RulesBrain Rules
CirclingCircling
Planning a StoryPlanning a Story
Reading and DiscussingReading and Discussing
a Storya Story
TPRS and GradingTPRS and Grading

71. x. This person will be the most experienced TPRS
person in the group. Announce the three
procedures.
A. Make a statement and have students say,
“Ohhhhhhh”.
B. Ask a question where they know the answer and
have them answer in the target language.
C. Ask them a question where they don’t know the
answer and have them answer

72. a. in target language (Spanish because it is a Spanish
story
b. Proper nouns
c. surprise me
(If you don’t surprise me, I will surprise you.)

73. Person number 1– Monday
Background information
 Background information: Introduce the first
character—add details about him/her by asking
questions.
Name, where s/he was (be as specific as possible –
name of state, city, place (proper noun?).
Choose a student actor.
Verify the details with that actor and with the class.

74. Person number 2– Monday
Background information
Review information about the first character by
asking questions and then add another character.
Add more information about the character. Verify
the details with both characters and with the class.

75. Tuesday
Introduce a problem
Review the background information by asking
questions.
Your main focus is on character one. You can add
more information about him/her.
Add a problem where the character needs or wants
something.
Verify the details with your student actor and the
class.

76. Tuesday - Unsuccessful attempt to solve the
problem
Have the character go someplace to make an
unsuccessful attempt to solve the problem.
Use dialogue. Talk to the class and tell the class
what each character says.
Create a reason why the actor doesn’t get what
he/she wants.

77. Tuesday - Solve the problem
Have the character go to another place and solve the
problem.
Use dialogue. Talk to the class when adding
dialogue. It is your story therefore the actors don’t
know what they are going to say.
The story is over when the problem is solved.

78. Brain RulesBrain Rules
CirclingCircling
Planning a StoryPlanning a Story
Reading and DiscussingReading and Discussing
a Storya Story
TPRS and GradingTPRS and Grading

79. Wednesday Embedded Reading
Start with the first embedded reading.
Translate the first embedded reading.
Students write in the meaning of any new words.

80. Embedded reading one
Students sit in pairs. These pairs are in groups of 6
or 8. (They sit like in an airplane.)
Student one reads the first sentence in the target
language. Student two reads that same sentence in
English and then reads the second sentence in target
language. (Volleyball translation)
Students continue reading and translating for 2 or 3
minutes.
Students rotate. One side of the students all move up
while the student in front goes to the back.
Continue until all have read with another partner.

81. Embedded reading 2
Repeat the same process for the second reading.
Students will have a little more time to do the
volleyball translation. Continue until students have
read with either 3 or 4 partners.

82. Person number 1– Wednesday
Extended reading - Background information
Background information: Introduce the first
character—add details about him/her.
 This person is playing the role of the main character
in the extended reading. Add information about the
character. Add his/her name, where s/he was (be as
specific as possible – name of state, city, place
(proper noun?).
Choose a student actor. Verify the details with that
actor and with the class.
Verify the details with that actor and with the class.

83. Person number 2 Wednesday
Extended reading - Background information
Add a parallel character. (Usually a student playing
himself)
Compare the new character to the other character.
Add more information about both characters.
Verify the details with both characters and with the
class.

84. Person 3 – Extended reading
Thursday
 Review the details established in the background
information. Read the first paragraph. Translate
with the class.
Ask facts about the paragraph. Add any surprises to
the story.
Dramatize the extended reading. Add surprises.
Verify the details with your student actors.

85. Person 5 – Extended reading
Thursday
After you have acted out the extended reading,
students are now ready for volleyball translation of
the extended reading. Have them go through the
entire story now in groups. Give them 3 minutes to
read with each partner. If there is time, also do
volleyball translation with the extended reading in
the past tense.

86. Brain RulesBrain Rules
CirclingCircling
Planning a StoryPlanning a Story
Reading and DiscussingReading and Discussing
a Storya Story
TPRS and GradingTPRS and Grading

87. TPRSTPRS®
andand
SchoolSchool

88. A typical
TPRS®
week

89. Monday
✓talk about weekend/ PQA
practice with new
structures
✓Establish background
information and add
parallel characters with
surprise details.

90. Tuesday
✓ Start over and re-
establish the
background information
from yesterday.
✓ Introduce the problem.
✓ Make an unsuccessful
attempt to solve the
problem
✓ Solve the problem
✓ If there is time, solve
the problem with the
parallel character
✓ If there is time, do a
partner retell

91. Wednesday
✓Embedded readings 1
and 2
✓Add background
information to the
story
✓Add a student as the
parallel character
✓Add background
information about the
student

92. Thursday
✓Review the details of
the extended reading
✓Add more surprise
details to both
characters
✓Dramatize the rest of
the story
✓Do the embedded
reading with the
extended reading

93. Friday
✓Timed writing
✓Read a discuss a novel
✓Add surprise details
✓Add one or more
parallel character
✓Read and translate to
the end of the chapter.
✓If time, do partner
student retells.

94. TestsTests
1. 50% of nine-weeks grade (40% with
reading option)
2. Surprise tests
3. Translation – Target language to English
4. Cumulative throughout the year
5. Test words they know
6. Most students get A’s or B’s on tests
7. If 80% don’t get 80% or higher, retest

95. Reading Option
1.Make your test grades worth 40% of their nine
weeks grade.
2.Earn 10% of the grade by reading.
3.First and second year students read a novel
every nine weeks.
4.Third year students read a novel a month.
5.Fourth year students read 2000 words of
literature a night.

96. Non-Test GradesNon-Test Grades
(quizzes and homework)(quizzes and homework)
1. 25% of nine-weeks grade
2. About a grade or two a week
3. Quizzes
4. Timed writings
5. Homework
a. Retell story to an adult
b. Write out story
c. Draw the story
d. Write a new ending to the story

97. Timed writingsTimed writings
A homework grade.
Speed writeSpeed write
Students write for five minutes without
stopping. They write as many words as possible.
Relaxed writeRelaxed write
Students write for ten minutes.
They can stop, edit and ask questions.

98. Timed writingsTimed writings
Both are graded at a point a word.
Accuracy is usually not graded on
timed writings.

99. ParticipationParticipation
1. 25% of nine-weeks grade
2. Each student starts with 100 points.
3. Students are required to look engaged.
4. Looking engaged means: no sleeping,
talking or writing.
5. Each infraction costs the student 5 pts.
6. When there is an infraction, teacher says
the name of the student and “págame”.

100. Págame MakeupsPágame Makeups
1. Student can make up two págames
(10 pts.) by giving the teacher a
nice card.
2. Student can make up two more
págames by shaking the teacher’s
hand.

101. Págame MakeupsPágame Makeups
There is a maximum of one card and one
hand shake per nine weeks.
All other págames are made up with 100
word essays in the target language:
a. Essay can be copied but it must be in
the student’s own handwriting.
b. Student can only write two 100-word