1. INTRODUCTION This method is an example of a new general approach to foreign languageinstruction which has been named "the comprehension approach." It iscalled this because of the importance it gives to listening comprehension. All the other methods we have looked at have students speaking in thetarget language from the first day. The idea of focusing on listening comprehension during early foreignlanguage instruction comes from observing how children acquire theirmother tongue. A baby spends many months listening to the people aroundit long before it ever says a word. The child has the time to try to make senseout of the sounds it hears. No one tells the baby that it must speak. Thechild chooses to speak when it is ready. What the methodologists advocate doing during an initial listening periodvaries from method to method. For example, in Krashen and Terrells TheNatural Approach(1983), the students listen to the teacher using the targetlanguage communicatively from the beginning of instruction, andcommunicative activities prevail throughout the course.

2. The teacher helps her students to understand her by usingpictures and occasional words in the students native languageand by being as expressive as possible. In many ways the Natural Approach is similar to the DirectMethod. However, is that the students are permitted to usetheir native language along with the target language as theyrespond to the teacher. This frees them to concentrate onlistening comprehension. The teacher does not correct any student errors during oralcommunication. The meaning of the utterance is clear from the context thepicture provides. Stories illustrated by pictures are also used asa device to convey abstract meaning. In the TPR Method,students listen and respond to the spoken target languagecommands of their teacher. It is James Ashers Total Physical Response Method we havechosen to examine in detail. 3. OBSERVATIONS & PRINCIPLES 4. l. T gives a command in the target language and performs it with Ss. Meaning in the target language can often be conveyedthrough actions. Memory is activated through learner response.Beginning foreign language instruction should addressthe right hemisphere of the brain, the part whichcontrols nonverbal behavior. The target language should be presented in chunks,not just word by word. 5. 2. The students say nothing. Ss understanding of the target language should be developed before speaking. 6. 3. T gives the commands quire quickly. Ss can initially learn one part of the language rapidlyby moving their bodies. 7. 4. T sits down and issues commands to the volunteers. The imperative is a powerful linguistic device through which T can direct S behavior. 8. 5. T directs Ss other than the volunteers. Ss can learn through observing actions as well as by performing the actions themselves. 9. 6. T introduces new commands after she issatisfied that the first six have been mastered. It is very important that Ss feel successful. Feelings ofsuccess and low anxiety facilitate learning. 10. 7. T changes the order of the commands. Students should not be made to memorize fixed routines. 11. 8. When Ss make an error, T repeats the command while acting it out. Correction should be carried out in an unobtrusive manner. 12. 9. T gives Ss commands they have not heardbefore. Ss must develop flexibility in understanding novelcombinations of target language chunks. They need to understand more than the exact sentencesused in training. Novelty is also motivating. 13. 10. T says, Jump to the desk." Everyone laughs. Language learning is more effective when it is fun. 14. 11. T writes the new commands on theblackboard. Spoken language should be emphasized over written language. 15. 12. A few weeks later, a S who hasnt spoken before gives commands. Students will begin to speak when they are ready. 16. 13. A S says, "Shake hand with your neighbor." Ss are expected to make errors when they first beginspeaking. Ts should be tolerant of them. Work on the fine details of the language should bepostponed until Ss have become somewhat proficient. 17. REVIEWING THE PRINCIPLES 18. 1. What are the goals of Ts who use the TPRMethod? Ts who use the TPR Method believe in the importance ofhaving their students enjoy their experience in learningto communicate in a foreign language. In fact, the TPR Method was developed in order to reducethe stress people feel when studying foreign languagesand thereby encourage students to persist in their studybeyond a beginning level of proficiency. The way to do this, is to base foreign language learningupon the way children learn their native language. 19. 2. What is the role of the T? What is the role of the Ss? Initially, T is the director of all student behavior. Ss are imitators of her nonverbal model. At some point (usually after ten to twenty hours ofinstruction) some Ss will be "ready to speak." At that point there will be a role reversal with individualstudents directing the teacher and the other students. 20. 3. What are some characteristics of theteaching/learning process? The first phase of a lesson is one of modeling. T issues commands to a few Ss, then performs the actions withthem. In the second phase, these same Ss demonstrate that they canunderstand the commands by performing them alone. Theobservers also have an opportunity to demonstrate theirunderstanding. T next recombines elements of the commands to have Ssdevelop flexibility in understanding unfamiliar utterances. These commands, which students perform, are often humorous. After learning to respond to some oral commands, Ss learn toread and write them. When Ss are ready to speak, they becomethe ones who issue the commands. After Ss begin speaking,activities expand to include skits and games. 21. 4. What is the nature of S-T interaction? What is thenature of S-S interaction? T interacts with the whole group of Ss and with individualSs. Initially the interaction is characterized by T speakingand Ss responding nonverbally. Later on, Ss become moreverbal and T responds nonverbally. Ss perform the actions together. Ss can learn by watchingeach other. At some point, Asher believes observers, mustdemonstrate their understanding of the commands inorder to retain them. As Ss begin to speak, they issue commands to one anotheras well as to T. 22. 5. How are the feelings of the Ss dealt with? One of the main reasons the TPR Method was developed was toreduce the stress people feel when studying foreign languages. One of the primary ways this is accomplished is to allow learners tospeak when they are ready. Forcing them to speak before then will only create anxiety. Also,when Ss do begin to speak, perfection should not be expected. Another way to relieve anxiety is to make language learning asenjoyable as possible. The use of zany commands and humorousskits are two ways of showing that language learning can be fun. Finally, it is important that there not be too much modeling, butthat Ss not to be too rushed either. Feelings of success and low anxiety facilitate learning. 23. 6. How is language viewed? How is culture viewed? Just as with the acquisition of the native language, the oral modality is primary. Culture is the lifestyle of people who speak the language natively. 24. 7. What areas of language are emphasized? Whatlanguage skills are emphasized? Grammatical structures and vocabulary are emphasizedover other language areas. These are embedded withinimperatives. The imperatives are single words and multi-word chunks. One reason for the use of imperatives is their frequency ofoccurrence in the speech directed at young childrenlearning their mother tongue. Understanding the spoken word should precede itsproduction. The spoken language is emphasized over written language. Ss often do not learn to read the commands they havealready learned to perform until after ten hours ofinstruction. 25. 8. What is the role of the Ss native language? The method is usually introduced in the Ss nativelanguage. After the introduction, rarely would the mothertongue be used. Meaning is made clear through bodymovements. 26. 9. How is evaluation accomplished? Ts will know immediately whether or not Ssunderstand by observing their students actions. Formal evaluations can be conducted simply bycommanding individual Ss to perform a series ofactions. As Ss become more advanced, their performance inskits they have created can become the basis forevaluation. 27. 10. How does T respond to student errors? It is expected that Ss will make errors when they firstbegin speaking. Ts should be tolerant of them and only correct majorerrors. Even these should be corrected unobtrusively. As Ssget more advanced Ts can "fine tune"-correct moreminor errors. 28. REVIEWING THE TECHNIQUES.,AND THE CLASSROOM SET-UP 29. Using Commands to Direct Behavior The use of commands is the major teaching technique of the TPR Method. The commands are given to get Ss to perform an action; the action makesthe meaning of the command clear. S ince Asher suggests keeping the pace lively, it is necessary for a T to plan inadvance just which commands she will introduce in a lesson. If T tries tothink them up as the lesson progresses, the pace will be too slow. At first, to clarify meaning, T performs the actions with Ss. Later T directsthe Ss alone. Ss actions tell the teacher whether or not the studentsunderstand. Asher advises Ts to vary the sequence of the commands so that Ss do notsimply memorize the action sequence without ever connecting the actionswith the language. Asher believes it is very important that Ss feel successful. Therefore, T should not introduce new commands too fast. It isrecommended that a T present three commands at a time. After Ss feelsuccessful with these, three more can be taught. 30. Although we were only able to observe one beginning class,people always ask just how much of a language can be taughtthrough the use of imperatives. Asher claims that all grammarfeatures can be communicated through imperatives. To givean example of a more advanced lesson, one might teach thepast tense as follows: Teacher: Ingrid, walk to the blackboard. (Ingrid gets up andwalks to the blackboard.) Teacher: Class, if Ingrid walked to the blackboard, stand up.(The class stands up.) Teacher: Ingrid, write your name on the blackboard.( Ingridwrites her name on the blackboard.) Teacher: Class, if Ingrid wrote her name on the blackboard, sitdown. (The class sits down.) 31. Role Reversal Ss command their T and classmates to perform someactions. Asher says that Ss will want to speak after ten to twentyhours of instruction, although some Ss may takelonger. Ss should not be encouraged to speak until they areready. 32. Action SequenceT give three connected commands. For example, T told Ss to point to the door,walk to the door, and touch the door. As Ss learn more and more of the targetlanguage, a longer series of connected commands can be given. A little lateron Ss might receive the following instructions: Take out a pen. Take out a piece of paper. Write a letter. (imaginary) Fold the letter. Put it in an envelope. Seal the envelope. Write the address on the envelope. Put a stamp on the envelope. Mail the letter.This series of commands is called an action sequence or an operation.Many everyday activities, like writing a letter, can be broken down into anaction sequence that Ss can be asked to perform. 33. CONCLUSION 34. The teacher we observed was using the TPR Method with Grade 5 children;however, this same method has been used with adult learners and youngerchildren as well.Ask yourself: Does it make any sense to delay the teaching of speaking the targetlanguage? Do you believe that students should not be encouraged to speak until theyare ready to do so? Should a teacher overlook certain student errors in the beginning? Which, ifany, of the other principles do you agree with? Should you use the imperative to present the grammatical structures andvocabulary of the target language? Do you believe it is possible to teach all grammatical features through theimperative? Do you think that accompanying language with action aids recall? Would you teach reading and writing in the manner described in this lesson? Would you want to adapt any of the techniques of the Total PhysicalResponse Method to your teaching situation? Can you think of any others you would create that would be consistent withthe principles presented here? 35. ACTIVITIES 36. A. Check your understanding of the Total PhysicalResponse Method. 1. Asher believes that foreign language instruction canand should be modeled on mother tongue acquisition.What are some characteristics of his method that aresimilar to the way children acquire their mothertongue? 2. One of the principles of Total Physical Response isthat when student anxiety is low, language learning isenhanced. How does this method lower studentanxiety? 37. B. Apply what you have understood about the Total Physical Response Method.3. In the action sequence (operation) that we looked at,the teacher had the students pretend to write and maila letter. Think of five other common activities whichcould be used as action sequences in the classroom.Make a list of commands for each one.