Total Physical Response (TPR) is a language teaching method developed by James Asher that is based on coordinating speech and physical action, similar to how children acquire their first language. In TPR, the teacher gives students commands and they act them out without speaking. This allows students to understand language without pressure to produce it. Commands start simple and become more complex, and can be part of lessons or tell a story. TPR is effective because understanding and performing physical actions is easy for students and reduces anxiety before they are ready to speak.

1. TOTAL PHYSICAL
RESPONSE
A language learning method
Mónica Rivas, Lidia Bayón & Noemí Abascal

2. What is Total Physical Response?
 Language learning strategy
developed by James Asher.
 Based in the coordination
between speech and action.
 Second language learning
involves a similar process as
children learn their first
language.

3. How does TPR work?
 Teacher gives commands and
learners perform them.
 Orders are simple at the
beginning and then become
more complex.
 They can be part of the lessons
or even contain a story-line.

4. Why is TPR successful?
 To understand and respond to language
physically is easy.
 No pressure on them to speak the foreign
language yet.
 They will speak when they feel ready to do
so.

5. Theories behind TPR
Childhood language
acquisition.
The right/left brain
divide.
Lowering stress and
affective filter.
by Ben Shearon, “James Asher´s Total Physical Response”

6. How to prepare a class or a task
Prepare a script for what you want to do.
Review what has gone before.
Do not change the target language.
Be positive.
Introduce limited number of new items.
Incorporate some humor.
Students do not speak until they are
ready.
by Ben Shearon, “James Asher´s Total Physical Response”

7. Positive aspects
Easy to implement / no translation.
It trains students to react to language, not
to think about it.
It reduces pressure and stress.
Different style of learning.
Long-term retention of language items.
Repetition is disguised.
Perfect for team-teaching classes.
by Ben Shearon, “James Asher´s Total Physical Response”

8. Activities
1. Starting with TPR: basic language of
students´ environment.
by Arnold Mühren, “Total Physical Response. An effective
language learning method at beginner/intermediate levels”

9. Activities
2. Integrating TPR in the English course.
by Arnold Mühren, “Total Physical Response. An effective
language learning method at beginner/intermediate levels”

10. Activities
3. TPR sequences at post-beginner level: not
only performing them.
by Arnold Mühren, “Total Physical Response. An effective
language learning method at beginner/intermediate levels”

11. Activities
4. Songs and games: motivating and effective
in learning and retention.
by Arnold Mühren, “Total Physical Response. An effective
language learning method at beginner/intermediate levels”

12. Simon says…

13. Charades

14. Board games

15. Twister

16. Video about TPR and some examples

17. BIBLIO / WEBLOGRAPHY
 Jack C. Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers (2007) Approaches
and Methods in Language Teaching. Cambridge University
Press.
 James J. Asher (1966) The learning strategy of Total Physical
Response: A review. San Jose State College.
http://www.auburn.edu/~nunnath/engl6240/asher66.pdf [seen on
30th of April]
 Ben Shearon. James Asher´s Total Physical Response.
http://www.c-english.com/files/tpr.pdf [seen on 30th of April]
 Arnold Mühren () Total Physical Response (TPR) An effective
language learning method at beginner/intermediate levels.
http://www.hik.se/dokument/.%5Chumsam%5Cengelska
%5Cengfteach20p%5Cyoung/primer_tpr.pdf [seen on 30th of
April]

18. ANY QUESTION?