TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE METHOD

TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE METHOD

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A.   History

TPR is a method developed by James J.Ashers, a professor of psychology at San Jose State University, California. Dr. Ashers began experimenting with TPR in the 1960s. The method has been developed from developmental psychology, learning theory and language learning theory and language learning procedures. He has been invited to present his successful total physical responses method in the USA and England, and other parts of the world.

TPR is based on the premise that the human brain has a biological program for acquiring any language. The left brain can be described as logical, one-track, and cynical. It is used when analyzing, talking, discussing, etc. Most classroom activities are aimed at the left brain. The right brain is used when moving, acting, using metaphor, drawipointing, etc. It is targeted by sports and extra-curricular activities in schools. When language is taught by lecturing or explaining, the cynical left brain is targeted and the information is kept in short term memory. It is soon forgotten as in ever becomes “real” to the student. When language is taught actively through movement, the right brain “believes” the information and retains it, in the same way that skills such as swimming or riding a bicycle are remembered long term.

Based on the developmental psychology, the proponents of TPR claim that memory is increased if it is stimulated through association with motor activity and the process of learning a foreign language is a parallel process to learning the first language ( Brown, 1987: 16). According to Childhood language acquisition theories, children are exposed to huge amounts of language input before speaking. In other words, children do a lot of listening before they learn to speak and they do a lot of physical activities in learning their first language, such as reaching, moving and grabbing. In having children learn the first language commands from the adult dominate the communication and children respond physically before they begin to produce verbal responses (Richard and Rodgers, 1986: 87). Language learners can also benefit from following this “natural” progression from comprehension to production, instead of the more normal situation where learner are asked to produce instantly.

Students also learn more when they are relaxed. This is because the affective filter, a

mental barrier between the students and the information, is raised when students are nervous or uncomfortable. When the affective filter is high, learners find it harder to understand, process, and remember information. TPR helps reduce the affective filter because it is less threatening than traditional language activities. Students do not have to produce language. Mistakes are

unimportant and easily corrected by the teacher. Language is remembered easily and long-term.

B.   Definition

TPR (total physical response) is a method of teaching language using physical movement to react to verbal input in order to reduce student inhibitions and lower their affective filter. It allows students to react to language without thinking too much, facilitates long term retention, and reduces student anxiety and stress. In order to implement TPR effectively, it is necessary to plan regular sessions that progress in a logical order, and to keep several principles in mind. 

CHAPTER II 

DESCRIPTION

According to Asher, TPR is based on the premise that the human brain has a biological program for acquiring any natural language on earth - including the sign language  of the deaf. The process is visible when we observe how infants internalize their first language. It looks to the way that children learn their native language. Communication between parents and their children combines both verbal and physical aspects. The child responds physically to the speech of their parent. The responses of the child are in turn positively reinforced by the speech of the parent. For many months the child absorbs the language without being able to speak. It is during this period that the internalization and code breaking occurs. After this stage the child is able to reproduce the language spontaneously. With TPR the language teacher tries to mimic this process in class. The method also promises double efficiency in terms of rate of learning, according to several studies in the literature and referenced in the above book.

In the classroom the teacher and students take on roles similar to that of the parent and child respectively. Students must respond physically to the words of the teacher. The activity may be a simple game.

TPR can be used to practice and teach various things. It is well suited to teaching classroom language and other vocabulary connected with actions. It can be used to teach imperatives and various tenses and aspects. It is also useful for story-telling.

Because of its participatory approach, TPR may also be a useful alternative teaching strategy for students with dyslexia or related learning disabilities, who typically experience difficulty learning foreign languages with traditional classroom instruction.

According to its proponents, it has a number of advantages, so what’s good about TPR?

● Easy to implement/no translation

TPR instruction requires no translation. It can help students and teachers make the transition to an English language environment.

● New playing field: no disadvantage for academically weaker students

TPR does not depend on left-brain, “academic” skills. This gives all students a chance to shine in a new environment.

● Trains students to react to language and not think about it too much

TPR requires an instant reaction. As there is no time to think during TPR practice, students can break the bad habit of over-analyzing language and become more comfortable with “going with the flow”, or guessing from context.

● Reduces pressure and stress for students

TPR does not require a spoken response from students. Also, if implemented properly, students always understand what is happening during TPR practice, resulting in increased confidence and a lowering of the affective filter.

It is a lot of fun, students enjoy it can be real stirrer in the class. It lifts the pace and the mood.

● Different style of teaching/learning

TPR can be a break for students and teachers, a refreshingly different style of teaching.

● Long-term retention/“magic” effect

TPR results in long-term retention of language items, and the constant repetition and recycling involved reinforces this leading to a “magic” learning experience. They will always remember.

● Repetition is disguised: more effective input

Skillful use of TPR allows us to drill language targets repeatedly without losing student interest.

Here are the weaknesses of TPR:

1.      Students who are not used to such things might find it embarrassing.

This can be the case initially but we have found that if the teacher is prepared to perform the actions, the students feel happier about copying. Also the students are in a group and don’t have to perform for the whole class. This pleasure is reserved for the teacher.

2.      It is only suitable for beginner level.

Whilst it is clear that it is far more useful at lower level because the target language lends itself to such activities we have also used it’s successfully with intermediate and advanced levels. For example: it helped us to teach “ways of walking (stumble, stagger, and tiptoe) to an advanced and cooking verbs to intermediate students (whisk, stir, grate)

3.      You can’t teach everything with it and if used a lot it would become repetitive.

We completely agree with this, but it can be a successful and fun way changing the dynamics and pace of a lesson used in conjunction with other method and techniques.

Asher, who developed the method, derived some principals from his beliefs:

·         Incorporate some humor

Once students are used to TPR practice, introducing a limited amount of humor into the class can greatly increase student’s interest and enjoyment. Having fun makes language learners interested in learning the foreign language. The principle that learning a foreign language will be more effective if language learning have fun also belongs to other method. The difference is that in the TPR fun is provided through physical activities. Physical activities are meant to reduce stress people feel when studying foreign language.

·         TPR deals with error correction

Like other methods, the TPR also deals with error correction. Correction is carried out in an unobtrusive manner. When the learners make an error, the teacher repeats the command while acting out (Larsen Freeman, 1986:115 and 2000). Ashers (1988, 3-6) suggest that the teacher should have wide tolerance for the distortions but she/he should narrow the tolerance for productions or grammatical errors. The teacher almost dominates the correction. Teacher correction seems to be the only way in dealing with correction. The teacher doesn’t 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 command, he/she does this only to check whether the student already produce 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.

·         Be good-natured and positive

In order for students to relax and feel comfortable, during TPR practice the teacher should project a friendly and positive manner.

·         Students don't “help” each other

Students should not need help with the TPR commands, as the meaning should be

obvious from context/the teachers' explanation/previously learned language. Translating commands intoIndonesian reverts to left brain input, and the benefits of TPR are lost. Student listening abilities are also not improved.

·         Target Language

The advocates of TPR believe that language learners should understand the target language before speaking. Language learner can learn through observing actions as well as by performing the actions themselves (Larsen-Freeman, 1986: 144 and 2000). By observing action and performing, they will understand the language that they are learning. The meaning of words can be understood by making association between the utterances they hear and the action they are observing. For example, while it can be useful to introduce synonyms, it is extremely important that the language not be changed half-way through a session. This is extremely confusing for

students.

·          Students don't speak

Students should not be forced to repeat the commands or otherwise speak until they

are ready.