Total Physical Response (TPR)

A.Definition of  Total Physical Response (TPR) 
James Asher's Total Physical Response (TPR), is the one we will examine in detail here in order to see how the principles of the Comprehension Approach are put into practice, On the basis of his research, Asher reasoned that the fastest, least stressful way to achieve understanding of any target language is to follow directions uttered by the instructor (without native language translation). We will learn about TPR through our usual way of observing a class in which it is being used.[1]

TPR combine a number of other insight in its rationale. Principles of child language acquisition were important. Asher, noted that the children, in learning their first language, appear to do a lot of listening before they speak, and that their listening is accopanied by physical responses (reaching, grabbing, moving looking, and so fourth). He also gave some attention to right-brain learning. According to Asher, motor activity is a right-brain function that should precede left-brain language processing. Asher was also convinced that language clasees were often the locus of too much anxiety, so he wished to devise a method that was a stress-free as possible, where learners would not feel overly self conscious and defensive. The TPR classroom, then, was one in which students did a great deal of listening and acting. The teacher was very directive in orchestrating a performance: “The instructor is the director of a stage play in which the students are the actors.[2]

TPR is one of the English teaching approaches and methods developed by Dr. James J Asher. It has been applied for almost thirty years. This method attempts to center attention to encouraging 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 (motor) activity.[3]

Asher's Total Physical Response is a "natural method" since Asher views first and second language learning as parallel processes. He argues that second language teaching and learning should reflect the naturalistic processes of first language learning. For this reason, there are such three central processes[4]:

a.                   before children develop the ability to speak, they develop listening competence. At the early phases of first language acquisition, they are able to comprehend complex utterances, which they hardly can spontaneously produce or imitate. Asher takes into accounts that a learner may be making a mental blueprint of the language that will make it possible to produce spoken language later during this period of listening;

b.                  children's ability in listening comprehension is acquired because children need to respond physically to spoken language in the form of parental commands; and

c.                   when a foundation in listening comprehension has been established, speech evolves naturally and effortlessly out of it.

Asher believes that it is crucial to base foreign language learning upon how children learn their native language. In other words, TPR is designed based upon the way that children learn their mother tongue. In this respect, TPR considers that one learns best when he is actively involved and grasp what he hears.[5]

From those definitions above, the writer conclude that Total Physical Response is a wonderful way to teach language because it is learning by doing, which children would do. TPR is helpful for them in understanding and acquiring the target language. 

B.                 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. Palmer and Palmer stated that no method of teaching foreign speech is likely to be economical or sucessful which does not include in the first period a very considerable proportion of that type of classroom work which consist of the carrying out the pulpiln of orders by the teachers. This principle implies that the teaching of speaking is delayed until the comprehension skill are estabilized. 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. [6]

Like other methods, the TPR also deals with error correction. Correction is carried out in a unobtrusive manner. When the learners makes 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. Teachers 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. Altough 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 forther confusion among the learners.[7]

C.                 Characteristics of the Method 

Characteristic of the method of TPR are[8]:

1.                               Imperative drills are useful classroom activity in TPR

2.                               Learners plays 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 recognise and respond to novel combinations of previously taught items. These novel utterances are recombinations of constituents the teacher used for direct training 

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. 

With this method, the teacher plays an active and direct role. The director of the stage play in which the students are the actors. 

D.                Advantages of TPR

Some advantages of TPR are[9]:

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 

E.                 Disadvantages of TPR

Some disavantages of TPR are[10]:

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 itself 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 

F.                  The Application of TPR in the classroom
  TPR can be used to teach and practice many things as[11]: 

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)

G.                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[12]:
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 

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, it is an effective method for teachers to teach children on how to follow instructions. With using this method, short TPR activities, used judiciously and integrated with other activities that can be seen as highly motivating and linguistically purposeful. Teachers should also remember to make careful decisions when using communicative language at the beginner level that can make Total Physical Response related activities valid and useful. In TPR, classroom warmers and games are based either consciously or unconsciously. Then again, it is up to the teachers to decide which method they would like to use in their classrooms.

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[1] Larsen-Freeman D. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. (Oxford: Oxford Universit

Press). 1986. p.108

[2] H. Douglas Brown. Teaching by Principles: an Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy, 2nd end.ed. New York: Addison Weasley Longman. 2000. p30.

[3] P.H.Widodo. Teaching children using a Total Physical Response ( TPR) method: Rethinking. Bahasa dan Seni. p.237.

[4] Ibid

[5] Ibid p.238

[6] Bambang Setiadi. Teaching English As a Foreign Language. Yogyakarta: Penerbit Graha Ilmu. 2006. P.127-128.

[7] Ibid p.128-129.

[8] P.H.Widodo. Teaching children using a Total Physical Response ( TPR) method: Rethinking. Bahasa dan Seni. p.236.

[9]Ben  Shearon. Total Physical Response: A Short Introduction (Electronic Version) by James Asher's. p.2.

[10] Ibid

[11] P.H.Widodo. Teaching children using a Total Physical Response ( TPR) method: Rethinking. Bahasa dan Seni. p.240.

[12] ICAL TEFL, Total Physical Response, diakses dari http://www.icaltefl.com/total-physical-response-in-tefl, pada tanggal 26 April 2016 pukul 14.20