This document outlines the Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS) method for teaching foreign languages. TPRS uses a combination of reading, storytelling, and interactive questioning to help students learn in a comprehensible way. It discusses key steps and techniques in TPRS like introducing vocabulary, asking questions to co-create a story with students, reading passages, lesson planning, assessment, and addressing common questions about implementing the method.

1. TPR Storytelling and other Comprehensible Input methods
TPR Storytelling (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling or TPRS) is a
method of teaching foreign languages. TPRS lessons use a mixture of reading and
storytelling to help students learn a foreign language in a classroom setting.
I. The Natural Approach
 The input hypothesis
 (The comprehension hypothesis)
 The acquisition-learning hypothesis
 The natural order hypothesis
 The affective filter hypothesis
 The monitor hypothesis
II. TPR Storytelling, invented by Blaine Ray
STEP 1: Introduce and personalize the vocabulary
 Write vocabulary word in target language and English
 Gesture / Mnemonic devices / memory aids
 Ask the students personal questions utilizing vocabulary
 Ask students about each other
 Seek responses that make the students look good
 Seek liars
 Encourage unusual responses
 Watch barometer students ensure 100% comprehension
 If possible, use the information from the PQA in the PMS
Don’t tell the story…
…ASK IT!
Co-create the story with your students
You are the story editor (NOT the storyteller!)
STEP 2: Ask the Story
Three main skills: Circling, Parking and Personalization
1. CIRCLING
 Statement
 Question that gets a “YES!”
 Either/or question
 Question that gets a “NO”
No... there isn’t... there is…
 Circle the subject and the object. Aim for 14 reps in order and then practice
circling out of order.
EXAMPLE:

2.  Who wants an elephant?
 What does the boy want?
 Does the boy want an elephant or a gorilla?
 Does the boy want a gorilla?
 No, the boy doesn’t want a gorilla, the boy wants an elephant.
 What does the boy want?
 Who wants an elephant?
 Does the boy or the girl want an elephant?
 Does the girl want an elephant?
 No, the girl doesn’t want an elephant, the boy wants an elephant.
 What does the boy want?
 Does the boy have an elephant or does he want an elephant?
 Does he have an elephant?
 No, he doesn’t have an elephant, he wants an elephant?
 Who wants an elephant?
 What does the boy want?
 Does the boy want a cat?
 No, the boy doesn’t want a cat, he wants an elephant?
 Does Maria want an elephant?
 No, Maria doesn’t want an elephant, the boy wants an elephant.
 Who wants an elephant?
 What does the boy want?
2. PARKING
 Who?
 What?
 Where?
 When?
 Which?
 How?
 How much?
 How many?
 Why?
3. PERSONALIZATION Student Interest Inventory form
Filling up the emotional love tank with unconditional love.
 Physical Touch
 Words of Affirmation
 Quality Time
 Gifts
 Acts of Service
Personalize every word, every step, every day.

3. IMPORTANT TPRS SKILLS:
1. PACE
 Slow, deliberate, separated
2. ASK THE STORY (Circling)
 Ask questions
 Circle the words for negation
 Ask low-level questions (students answer yes/no/ one word)
 Leave blanks --students fill-in
 Make mistakes (students correct)
 Ask who? What? Where? When? How much? How many? How often?
 Ask how and why (last)
 Never make two statements in a row.
3. PACE-SETTER (BAROMETER)
 Teach to the eyes! Look at the audience, not at the actors.
 Slow down sign / Stop sign / Completely lost sign
 The pause
 Responding to a Zero response
 Staying “in-bounds.” (The “boundaries” are the locations, the language that the
barometer student has already
 mastered, the words or phrases of the day, and completely comprehensible
cognates.)
4. PERSONALIZATION
 Use compliments (Who is most handsome boy in world? Brad Pitt or Paco?)
 Use the names of the students (and personalize the story)
 Use the information from the PQA.
 Really listen to and enjoy student responses.
5. DRAMATIZE
 Get volunteer actors
 Coach melodramatic acting
 Over-react
 Students act-out the story while teacher blocks, directs and maneuvers
 Use 3 locations
6. BIZARRE, EXAGGERATED AND PERSONALIZED
 Get student input
 Encourage audience participation (¡Ooo la la!/¡Booooo /¡Oooh!/¡Oh no!/ ¡Sí!)

4.  Student responses per minute should be a minimum of 10.
 Exaggerate or drastically minimize size, quality and quantity
7. BELIEVABILITY
 Demonstrate deep belief in the story!
 Fantasy
 Personalized details
 Exaggerate
 “Casi” (almost) technique: (all in the target language)
 Student responses
 "How does he react?" (¿cómo reacciona?)
 Everything is possible in German class. : (all in L2)
 Designate one responder
 Keeping control of the story.
 It’s my story!
 Never ask why.
 Es un secreto
 Combine details
8. POP-UPS
 Use translation to clarify grammar and structure. (Pop-up meaning)
 Pop-ups: Focus on the Meaning of structures (1-5 seconds per pop-up.)
 Pop-ups through stories
 Pop-ups through dialogue
 Pop-ups through PQA
 Pop-ups through Reading
STEP 3: Reading
1. Translate reading passages, PMSs, extended readings and novels.
2. One student translates.
3. Teacher provides instant translation for incomprehensible words.
4. Make sure that students understand every word.
5. Use translation to explain grammar and meaning in 5-15 seconds.
6. Discuss the reading in the target language.
7. Ask personalized questions about the reading.
8. Discuss the cultural information in the story, geography.
9. Use the story to teach life lessons.
10. Act out scenes.
11. Discuss what the character learns in the story.
12. Other essential reading components: Free Voluntary Reading and Read Alouds
III. Lesson Planning
 Five-day Lesson Plan
http://www.tprstories.com/five-day-lesson-plan.doc

5.  Preparing for AP from Level 1:
http://www.tprstories.com/ap-prep.doc
 Peer-coaching and self-coaching:
http://www.tprstories.com/feedback-form.doc
IV. How to Assess
 Michael Miller on Effective
Testing: http://www.tprstories.com/ntprs/2004/handouts/vegas2004_miller_HOTS-testing.
pdf
 Free proficiency exams:
 http://www.nysedregents.org (answer to the question, how to teach to the
standards?)
 "Weighing the pig more often will not make it grow faster." Dr. Stephen Krashen
Unannounced vocabulary quiz
Tests are unannounced and, most of the time, test for acquisition, rather than learning.
Tests are also infrequent in an attempt to reserve class time for comprehensible input.
Freewrites
100 words in 5-10 minutes. Once a week. Use a spiral notebook. Keep track of progress.
Students count and record their number of words each week. Fluency grade, not accuracy
grade.
V. What to tell and show parents and administrators:
 Teaching English through Classical TPR
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3986495373680266975&q=india+tprs&hl=en
 Can students speak the language after a TPRS class?
http://www.tprstories.com/ntprs/2006/media/ff-demo-modem.wmv
 Why Learn a Language?
http://www.fluencyfast.com/why-learn-a-language
VI. Random questions:
 Art transparencies
 Absences -- Lend books on CD, have a student re-write the daily story (proof and
share), record the class, give vocabulary lists and pre-written stories, give circling CD
 Sub plans (10 minute freewrite. 10 minutes FVR. Show a movie. You are
irreplaceable.)
 Mixing levels / native speakers -- this is a problem with the program. Lobby for
native speaker classes. Use native speakers to help with absences, recording daily stories)
 Extra credit - 1 point on each taste. Tell me what's going on in your life?