TPR is a Tool, Not the Whole Toolbox: A Filipino Teacher's Reflection on Using Total Physical Response Purposefully

As I scroll through my Facebook feed, I often see videos of teachers in training and fellow ESL teachers sharing their classes. I notice many of them use a lot of movement for every word.

I understand why. It looks fun and energetic at first. I tried it before and honestly, I also thought, "If I do this for the whole class, I will be so tired."

I respect that every teacher has their own style, and every center has its own training. I just want to share a small realization I had from our TESOL discussions in my master's classes.

TPR was not introduced to us as non-stop movement. This is how I understand it and how I try to apply it in my kids' classes:

What is TPR?
Total Physical Response is a language teaching method developed by James Asher. It is based on the idea that language learning should start with comprehension through physical movement, similar to how children learn their first language — they listen and respond physically before they speak (Asher, 1969). It is closely linked to the idea that lowering stress helps acquisition (Krashen, 1982).

Why is it helpful?
TPR is helpful because it connects language to action. Students remember better when they do something with the language, not just hear it (Richards & Rodgers, 2014). For young learners, it also helps with attention and it reduces anxiety because they don't have to speak right away.

When do I use it and who needs it most?
In my experience, TPR works best at the very beginning level, especially with kids ages 4-10 and low-beginner learners. I use TPR:
1. for introducing action verbs, classroom commands, body parts, and simple vocabulary
2. to warm up or when energy drops in the first 5-10 minutes
3. for students who learn better by moving or have very short attention spans.

Research shows TPR is effective for initial vocabulary retention, but it is not designed to carry the whole lesson (Larsen-Freeman & Anderson, 2011).

What I noticed when I overused it myself.
This is what I was reflecting on while watching those videos, because I also did this before:
1. I got tired fast and my instructions became less clear.
2. My students stayed in copying mode only. Asher (2009) himself said TPR should be a stepping stone. If they only copy movements, they have less chance to produce sentences and ask questions.
3. Sometimes they remembered the movement, but not the language (Pinter, 2017). The movement should serve the word, not replace it.
4. Some of my higher-level kids didn't enjoy too much movement. They wanted to just speak.

My takeaway from my TESOL classes: TPR is a tool, not the whole toolbox. I try to use it purposefully — for a command, for a new verb, for a quick check of understanding. Then I let it fade and allow students to use the language without moving.

Again, this is just my reflection from what we discussed in our graduate classes. I respect those teachers who do it differently — teaching kids online is not easy. I just share this so we can reflect on balance.

What has been your experience with TPR?

References
Asher, J. J. (1969). The total physical response approach to second language learning. The Modern Language Journal, 53(1), 3–17.

Asher, J. J. (2009). Learning another language through actions (7th ed.). Sky Oaks Productions.

Krashen, S. D. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Pergamon.

Larsen-Freeman, D., & Anderson, M. (2011). Techniques and principles in language teaching (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.

Pinter, A. (2017). Teaching young language learners (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.

Richards, J. C., & Rodgers, T. S. (2014). Approaches and methods in language teaching (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.

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