TPRS (TPR Storytelling)
by AJ
TPRS has changed its name-- they've kept the same initials (TPRS) but the creators now say that the letters stand for "Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling".
When I first read this I thought it was unecessary and kind of goofy. But now that Im delving into free reading with Spanish (and soon Thai), I understand the motivation for the change. Reading (free, pleasurable, authentic) is a fantastic complement to storytelling. Together, the two work synergistically to boost vocabulary, grammar knowledge, and overall competence with a language.
Of all the techniques I use in class, TPRS is without a doubt the most consistently effective- despite my rather shoddy skill with the technique. I know reading is equally powerful (both from the research and from personal study)... but getting my students to read for fun has been a bigger challenge than Id expected. But I will keep trying- because hooking my students on pleasure reading (not textbooks, not grammar books, not academic texts) is perhaps the best service I can perform for them. I will remain a tireless evangelist for pleasure reading.
Teachers interested in TPR Storytelling- who would like a detailed guide to using it, should go to Blaine Ray's online TPRS catalog. For those new to the technique, I recommend starting with Fluency Through TPR Storytelling (book) and the Introduction to TPRS Workshop (DVD). These two provide a grounding in the basic technique.
From there, try Blaine And Von Ray Teaching TPRS (DVD for more experienced TPRS teachers). Of course, a live workshop would be ideal... but those of us on the other side of the world from America have to make do with DVDs and books.
TPRS has changed its name-- they've kept the same initials (TPRS) but the creators now say that the letters stand for "Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling".
When I first read this I thought it was unecessary and kind of goofy. But now that Im delving into free reading with Spanish (and soon Thai), I understand the motivation for the change. Reading (free, pleasurable, authentic) is a fantastic complement to storytelling. Together, the two work synergistically to boost vocabulary, grammar knowledge, and overall competence with a language.
Of all the techniques I use in class, TPRS is without a doubt the most consistently effective- despite my rather shoddy skill with the technique. I know reading is equally powerful (both from the research and from personal study)... but getting my students to read for fun has been a bigger challenge than Id expected. But I will keep trying- because hooking my students on pleasure reading (not textbooks, not grammar books, not academic texts) is perhaps the best service I can perform for them. I will remain a tireless evangelist for pleasure reading.
Teachers interested in TPR Storytelling- who would like a detailed guide to using it, should go to Blaine Ray's online TPRS catalog. For those new to the technique, I recommend starting with Fluency Through TPR Storytelling (book) and the Introduction to TPRS Workshop (DVD). These two provide a grounding in the basic technique.
From there, try Blaine And Von Ray Teaching TPRS (DVD for more experienced TPRS teachers). Of course, a live workshop would be ideal... but those of us on the other side of the world from America have to make do with DVDs and books.
posted by AJ Hoge @ 12:44 AM
<< Home