Foundations of TPR
Who developed Total Physical Response?
James Asher
What is the teacher's initial role in TPR?
The teacher is the director of student behavior.
What is the major teaching technique in TPR?
Using commands to direct behavior.
Which language areas are emphasized in TPR?
Vocabulary and grammatical structures.
How can a teacher immediately know whether students understand a command?
By observing their actions.
What is the central idea behind the Comprehension Approach that TPR applies?
A. Students should speak from the first lesson.
B. Language learning should begin with understanding.
C. Grammar should be taught before vocabulary.
D. Students should translate everything into their native language.
B. Language learning should begin with understanding.
What is the initial role of the students?
A. Translators
B. Grammar analysts
C. Imitators of the teacher's nonverbal model
D. Conversation partners
C. Imitators of the teacher's nonverbal model.
Which sequence best represents the initial development of a TPR lesson?
A. Writing → reading → speaking → listening
B. Modeling → independent performance → observers demonstrate understanding
C. Translation → grammar explanation → writing
D. Modeling → Speaking → correction → memorization
B. Modeling → independent performance → observers demonstrate understanding
Which modality is considered primary in TPR?
A. Written language
B. Oral language
C. Translation
D. Silent reading
Oral language
What is an “action sequence” or “operation”?
A. A written grammar exercise which is connected coherently
B. A series of connected commands forming a whole procedure
C. A translation activity which is an operation
D. A conversation between two students
B. A series of connected commands forming a whole procedure
A teacher begins a lesson by saying, “Stand up,” while standing up herself. The students imitate her action without speaking.
Which TPR principle is illustrated most directly?
Meaning in the target language can often be conveyed through actions, and students can develop understanding before speaking.
A teacher gives commands while performing the actions with the students. Later, she sits down and gives the same commands while the students perform independently.
Why is the second stage important?
It demonstrates whether students actually understand the commands independently.
The teacher has successfully taught three commands. She immediately introduces five new commands.
Is this consistent with TPR?
No
A teacher wants to teach the past tense through TPR.
She says:
“Ingrid, walk to the blackboard.”
After Ingrid walks there, the teacher says:
“If Ingrid walked to the blackboard, stand up.”
What grammatical principle is illustrated?
TPR can use imperatives to communicate grammatical structures, including the past tense.
Put these TPR stages in the most logical order:
2 → 3 → 4 → 1
A new teacher says:
“In my class, students must speak English from the first day because speaking is the most important language skill.”
According to Larsen-Freeman's description of TPR, what is the main problem with this approach?
It does not follow TPR's principle that understanding should develop before speaking.
A student has been studying TPR for several lessons. She suddenly begins giving commands to her classmates, while they perform the actions.
What important change in classroom roles has occurred?
Role reversal
A teacher gives students the command:
“Jump to the desk!”
They have never heard this exact command before, but they understand it and perform it correctly.
What TPR principle does this demonstrate?
Students should develop flexibility in understanding novel combinations of target-language chunks.
Which statement best represents TPR's position on speaking?
A. Speaking should be practiced intensively from the first lesson.
B. Speaking should be completely avoided.
C. Understanding spoken language should precede production.
D. Students should speak only after mastering written grammar.
C. Understanding spoken language should precede production.
A teacher wants to assess students using TPR.
Which assessment is most consistent with the method?
A. A 15-item written grammar test where students are exposed to the commands.
B. A translation exam where students see the commands issued by the teacher.
C. Asking individual students to perform a series of actions in response to commands.
D. Asking students to write an essay about Total Physical Response.
C. Asking individual students to perform a series of actions in response to commands.