Total Physical Response (TPR) is a language teaching method developed by James Asher, a professor emeritus of psychology at San José State University. It is based on the coordination of language and physical movement, and it emphasizes the use of physical activity for language learning. The method is often used alongside other methods and techniques and is popular with beginners and young learners, although it can be used with students of all levels and all age groups.
TPR is based on the observation of the language development of young children, where most of the interactions that young children experience with parents or other adults combine both verbal and physical aspects. The child responds physically to the speech of the parent, and the parent reinforces the childs responses through further speech. Total physical response lessons typically use a wide variety of realia, posters, and props.
TPR involves using physical movement to react to verbal input, mimicking the way that infants learn their first language. The process involves listening and understanding, which is to say, to comprehend, rather than speaking. The method is used to teach language or vocabulary concepts by using physical movement to react to verbal input.
TPR is often used to teach difficult-to-explain actions, storytelling and narrative language, imperatives, and classroom language. It is not to be used in a vacuum but as part of a varied collection of techniques employed in a given semester.
In summary, Total Physical Response (TPR) is a language teaching method that emphasizes the use of physical activity for language learning. It is based on the coordination of language and physical movement and is often used alongside other methods and techniques. TPR is popular with beginners and young learners, although it can be used with students of all levels and all age groups.
