TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE

1. INTRODUCTION
2. OBJECTIVES
3. MAIN CONTENT
4. CONCLUSION
5. SELF-ASSESSMENT
6. REFERENCES

1. INTRODUCTION
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 originated in late 1960s and it became popular in 1970s-80s. It is based on
the coordination of language and physical movement. In TPR, teachers give
commands to students in the target language with body movements, and students
respond with whole-body actions. This method attempts to center attention to
encourage learners to listen and respond to the spoken target language commands
of their teachers. In other words, TPR is a language teaching method built around
the coordination of speech and action; it attempts to teach language through
physical activity.
The method is an example of the comprehension approach to language
teaching. The listening and responding (with actions) serves two purposes: It is a
means of quickly recognizing meaning in the language being learned, and a
means of passively learning the structure of the language itself. Grammar is not
taught explicitly, but can be learned from the language input.
Asher developed TPR as a result of his experiences observing young
children learning their first language. He noticed that interactions between
parents and children often took the form of speech from the parent followed by a
physical response from the child. Asher made three hypotheses based on his
observations: first, that language is learned primarily by listening; second, that
language learning must engage the right hemisphere of the brain; and third, that
learning language should not involve any stress. Asher believes that it is crucial
to base foreign language learning upon how children learn their native language.
Furthermore, TPR is designed based upon the way that children learn
their mother tongue. Parents have 'language-body conversations' with their
children, the parent instructs and the child physically responds to this. The parent
 says, "Look at mummy" or "Give me the ball" and the child does so. These
conversations continue for many months before the child actually starts to speak
itself. Even though it can't speak during this time, the child is taking in all of the
language; the sounds and the patterns. Eventually when it has decoded enough,
the child reproduces the language quite spontaneously. TPR attempts to mirror
this effect in the language classroom.
2. OBJECTIVES
a. The general objectives of Total Physical Response are to teach oral
proficiency at a beginning level
b. TPR method is to teach basic speaking and communication skill
c. TPR was developed to reduce stress people feel while learning a foreign
language.
d. A TPR aims to produce learners who are capable of an uninhibited commu-
nication that is intelligible to a native speaker
3. MAIN CONTENTS
a. Principles of Total Physical Response (TPR)
The advocates of TPR believe that language learners should understand
the target language before speaking. Language learners can learn through
observing action as well as by performing the action themselves. By observing
action and performing, they will understand the language they are learning. The
meaning of words can be understood by making association between the
utterances they hear and the action they are observing. The meanings of words
they may guess will be internalized by performing the action in accordance with
the commands. Even through performing and observing the action is often
associated with TPR, the tradition of teaching a foreign language through the
commands had been used long before the introduction of TPR.
At the begining of language class, learners will spend most of the time in
comprehending the target language, especially represented by verbs of
 imperative and concrete nouns. Speaking will be introduced later after language
learners have enough understanding of the target language.
Like other methods, the TPR also deals with error correction. Correction
is carried out in a unobtrusive manner. When the learners make an error, the
teacher repeats the command while acting out.  Asher suggests that the teacher
should have wide tolerance for distortions but eventually he/she should narrow
the tolerance for production of grammatical errors. The teacher almost dominates
the correction. Teacher’s correction seems to be the only way in dealing with
correction. The teacher does not delay the correction; he/she will correct the error
as soon as the error is noticed. Although the teacher will finally give a turn to the
student to repeat the commands, he/she does this only to check whether the
student already produces the command properly or not. No peer correction is
done; this seems to be avoided in order not to produce further confusion among
the learners.
b. Characteristics of the Method 
Characteristic of the method of TPR are:
1) Imperative drills are useful classroom activity in TPR
2) Learners play main roles. One is a listener, while the other is a performer.
They listen attentively and respond physically to the teachers command 
3) Learners need to respond individually as well as collectively, as they
have minor influence on the content of learning. This content will be
decided mainly by the teacher
4) At the beginning of learning, students are expected to recognize and
respond to novel combinations of previously taught items.
For example, in the classroom, students will follow the teacher. The
teacher directs students with "Walk to the table!"  and "Sit on the chair!".
These are familiar with students since they have practiced responding to
them. Moreover, students are also to produce novel combinations of their
own. 
c. Advantages of TPR
Some advantages of TPR are:
1) The TPR instruction is easy to implement and no translation. It helps both
students and teacher make the transition to an English Language
Environment 
2) No disadvantage for academically weak students: TPR does not depend
on the "left or right brained", as it gives all students a chance to shine in a
new environment 
3) Lowers students affective filter and stress level: TPR does not require a
spoken response from students. Also, if this was carried out effectively,
students always understand what is happening during the Total Physical
Response method, which results in increasing their confidence level and
lowering their affective filter. 
4) The repetition acts as a disguise, where there will be more effective input.
A skillful use of Total Physical Response allows us to drill language
targets repeatedly without losing students interests 
5) It is good for kinaesthetic learners who are required to be active in the
class;
6) It can be used both in large or small classes. In this case, it is no matter to
have how many students you have as long as you are prepared to take the
lead, the learners will follow;
7) It is no need to have a lot of preparation or materials using the TPR. In
this regard, as long as you are competent of what you want to practice (a
rehearsal beforehand can help), it will not take a lot of time to get ready;
d. Disadvantages of TPR
Some disadvantages of TPR are:
1) Students who did not use these things may find it embarrassing. This may
be the case, where the teacher prepared students to do some actions, the
students feel happier about copying 
 2) This method is suitable for beginner learners, where it is clear that TPR is
suitable for children at the lower level because of the target language
lends it in the activities. It is also used for the intermediate and advanced
learners. For example, when teaching "how to walk" (stumble, tiptoe, and
stagger), and teach cooking verbs to the Intermediate students. (stir, grate,
and etc) 
3) When teacher uses TPR, they will have trouble teaching abstract
vocabulary or expressions 
e. The Application of TPR in the classroom
TPR can be used to teach and practice many things as:
1) vocabulary connected with actions ( smile, crop, headache, and wriggle)
2) teaching grammatical items ( tenses, past/present/ future) and continuous
aspects   (Every morning I clean my teeth, I make my bed, I eat breakfast)
3) classroom language (Open your books)
4) instructions (Stand up and touch your nose)
f. Basic Total Techniques ( More Applications) 
The teacher introduces the language through the use of commands
(imperative sentences) and has students demonstrate their understanding through
action responses. A sequence of events that happens in the classroom:
1) The teacher says the command ( sit down, turn the page of your textbook,
and etc) as they perform the action
2) The teacher says the command as both teacher and students will perform
the action
3) The teacher says the command but only students will perform the action
4) The teacher will tell one student in the classroom at time to perform the
action
5) The roles of both teacher and student are reversed. Students will give
commands to the teacher and other students
Examples:
The teacher  and student allow for command expansion of new sentences.
 While the initial instructions are simple within a few minutes
directions can be expanded in complexity such as:
 Sit down 
 Take your exercise book out 
 Open the book on page 22
 Lily, please sit next to Jordan 
 Jordan share the book with Lily, please

Sample Materials used in TPR:

Context : Teaching Vocabulary 1
New words : blue, yellow, green, orange, brown, grey, purple, black, white,
card, to pick up
Preparation : A number of small colored cards, one of more cards on every
pupil’s desk, a set of cards on a central desk.
Procedures :
1. The teacher picks up cards one by one and says what colour they are.
 A blue card.
 An orange card.
 A yellow card.
 A red card.
 A brown card.
 A grey card.
 A purple card.
 A black card.
 A white card.
 A green card.
 Red.
 Blue.
 Purple.
2. The teacher gives commands to the class.
 Who’s got a red card? Show it to me.
 Who’s got a blue card? Show it to me.
 Who’s got a yellow card? Show it to me.
3. The teacher invites individual pupils to come out to the central desk.
 Devi, pick up a purple card and show it to the class.
 Show the class a black card.
 Show the class a green card.
 Show the class a grey card.
4. CONCLUSIONS
When TPR is applied in the classroom, a teacher is required to provide a
model. The model has three vital features: 1) grasping the spoken language must
come prior to speaking, 2) comprehension is developed through body movement,
and 3) the period of listening period helps a learner to be ready to speak. It is also
recommended that TPR be applied for only short periods of time because the
learner will get tired of doing it.
The TPR method also emphasizes two crucial elements: the use of
movement as a memory enhancer and imperatives as the only method of
instruction-the teacher uses commands to direct the learners.
Most importantly, when applying such a method, the use of mother
tongue is deemphasized. If there are abstract words, a teacher is required to write
down them on the white/black boards without expressing those words. The
meaning of words is comprehended generally through an action.
5. SELF ASSESSMENT
1) What is theoritical basis of Total Physical Response Method?
2) What are the principles and charecteristics of Total Physical Response
Method ?
3) What are the advantages and disadvantages of Total Physical Response
Method?
 4) Briefly describe the teaching procedure of Total Physical Response
Method.
6. REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS
Brown, H. Douglas. (2000). Teaching by Principles: an Interactive Approach to
Language Pedagogy, 2nd end.ed. New York: Addison Weasley
Longman.
Larsen – Freeman D. (1986). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching.
(Oxford: Oxford University Press). 1986.
Richards, J.C. & Rodgers, T. S. (2000). Approaches and methods in language
teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Setiadi, Bambang. (2006). Teaching English As a Foreign Language. Yogyakarta:
Penerbit Graha Ilmu.
Widodo, P.H.Teaching children using a Total Physical Response ( TPR) method:
Rethinking. Bahasa dan Seni.
ICAL TEFL, Total Physical Response, diakses dari http://www.icaltefl.com/total-
physical-response-in-tefl, pada tanggal 07 Mei 2018