Learn English TensesThrough TPR

霍鑫红

（大连商务职业学院 辽宁 大连 116033）

In the traditional class,students usually listen to the description of the tenses and the usage demonstration in sentences written on the chalkboard by instructors,which is boring and unfruitful.Learning tenses through actions originate from James J.Asher’s Total Physical Response which is known worldwide as TPR.A number of people use this method and benefit a lot from it.In this essay,a new horizon of using TPR to teaching tenses is introduced.

1 The introduction of TPR

1.1 The rationale TPR based on

This approach is based on a TPR model of infants learning their first language.This acquisition follows the order of listening first and then speaking(Asher,1993).Finally the child learns to read and write.

1.2 TPR starts with comprehension skill

The teacher may begin by repeating each command along with modeling.Modeling means that students initially will listen and do what the teacher does.Later,the teacher will not need to model and the students will be able to act out the command on their own without the teacher,at this point,the teacher can invite different groups of two or three students to the front of the class to perform the actions.Gradually the students are ready to speak,read and write.

1.3 The approach has three powerful features

·Rapid understanding of the target language in chunks rather than word-by-word.

·Long-term retention that lasts weeks,months…… even years,and

·makes learning another language thoroughly enjoyable,a rare phenomenon in foreign language courses where 95%of the students simply “give up” out despair.

2 Learn tenses through TPR

2.1 The teacher will need the following materials

Picture cards for example:occupations,places,numbers,fruits and vegetables,animals,seasons,a large clock and a large calendar.

2.2 Objectives

In the beginning stages of training,students will demonstrate understanding of the grammatical structure by performing physical actions.In the next stage of training,students will demonstrate internalization of the grammatical structure by giving commands to other students using that particular structure.In the advanced stage of training,students will demonstrate internalization of the grammatical structure by asking and answering question using that particular structure.

2.3 Illustrations of 8 tenses

Simple Present

T-Sally,run to the door.S-Performs the action.

(After Sally runs,the teacher point to her and says to the class,“Sally runs to the door,”)What does Sally do？ (Select a student whose hand is up)

Simple Past Tense T-Bill,smile at Sally.S-Performs the action

T-Ed,walk to the person Bill smiled at.

S-Perform the action

Present Continuous.

T-I touch the desk,Fred,walk to the desk that I am touching

S-Perform the action.

As students progress in their TPR comprehension training,they will make the transition to production.This will happen gradually when each student is ready.As students advance into production,the present continuous can be practiced effectively as follows:

T-I am standing on one foot.What am I doing？

S-Expected Response: “You are standing on one foot.”

Past tense of “Be”

The teacher passes out labeled pictures of different places and occupations.Also,the teacher makes use of a large portable clock and a calendar.This TPR exercise is for students who have advanced from comprehension into production.

T-Bill,at 2 o’clock you are at the bank.(Then the teacher moves the clock to 3 o’clock and takes the bank picture from Bill and gives him the park picture,)Bill,now it is 3 o’clock.Where were you at 2 o’clock？

S-Expected Response: “I was at the bank.”

The teacher can use this same procedure with different situations.

Past Continuous

T-Bill and sally,sit on the front desk.

S-Performs the action

T-Jeff,sit under the desk Bill and sally were sitting on.

S-Perform the action.

The teacher continues recombining new commands using the past continuous.

Simple Future(will)

This grammatical structure can be done in the same manner as the“to be going to……” construction,but still another approach is to have it embedded in a conditional sentence,as illustrated in these examples:

T-If Herb opens his book,Fred will walk to the door.

(Herb has the option of deciding what to do.For the convenience of the lesson,however,he will open his book)

S-Perform the action.

For more advanced students,the future tense can be practiced with a procedure such as the following:

T-Mark,at 6 o’clock you will go to the bank.Where will you go at 6o’clock,Mark？ (After Mark responds,the clock is set for 6 o’clock and Mark moves.)

Present Perfect

Please use the clock and the calendar for this lesson.Note-Since this TPR exercise requires speaking from students,delay it until comprehension has been extensively internalized.

Lisa,at 2 o’clock you will begin drawing a lion on the chalkboard.(The clock is set for 2 o’clock.)

Perform the action

T-(The teacher then moves the clock forward ten minutes.)

The teacher then says:Lisa has drawn a picture for ten minutes.

Herb,how long has Lisa drawn a picture？

S-Responds in a full sentence.

The teacher may continue forming commands using the present perfect.

Past Perfect

The teacher will need a clock and a calendar for this lesson.This TPR exercise is for advanced students since speaking is required.

T-Bill,at 6 o’clock you will drop your book on the floor.

Hank,before Bill drops his book you will walk to the chalkboard.(The instructor moves the clock toward 6 o’clock and the action begins.)

S-Performs the action.

T-Before Bill dropped his book.Hank had walked to the chalkboard.Sally,what had Hank done before Bill dropped his book？

S-Responds in a full sentence.

3 Conclusion

In some instances you may find it necessary to modify the activities to fit the need of your particular class,you may also find it necessary to lengthen the modeling that the instructor does for the students.Follow-up activities may be needed to ensure thorough internalization of the structure.For step-by-step guidance,I highly recommend this method.After using the technique of teaching tenses,you will see the excitement as adults from 17 to 60 understand the tenses mentioned above and what the instructor is saying in English as well.

【Reference】

［1］Asher,James J.“The Total Physical Response to Second Language Learning”[J].Modern Language Journal，53 1969：3-17.

［2］Asher,James J.“Children’s First Language as a Model for Second Language Learning[J].” Modern Language Journal，56(1972)：133-139.

［3］Asher,James J.Learning Another Language Through Actions，1993[J].

［4］Finocchiaro.Mary.English as a Second Language：From Theory to Practice[J].New York:Regents，1974.