Critics of Total Physical Response (TPR) Method By Ika, Sarniati and St. Hariati

           I.       INTRODUCTION

            Total Physical Response (TPR) developed by James Asher (1982) Learning another language through actions: The complete teachers’ guidebook.

            The method was designed primarily for students in the early stages of language acquisition.  Since commands can be made comprehensible to students with very limited language, Asher used commands as the basis for TPR. The teacher or a more proficient student gives a command, demonstrates the command, and then students respond physically to the command.  Because students are actively involved and not expected to repeat the command, anxiety is low, and student focus is on comprehension rather than production.  Hence, they demonstrate comprehension before their speaking skills emerge.

      

I             II.      WHAT IS TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE (TPR)

            TPR is one of the English teaching approaches and methods that developed to make the student enjoy in learning English. 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. 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:

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 (Haynes, 2004; Larsen-Freeman, 1986; Linse, 2005).

               III. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF TPR

          TPR has some advantages and disadvantages. Its advantages include:

a)      It is a lot of fun. Learners enjoy it, and this method can be a real stirrer in the class. It lifts the pace and the mood;

b)      It is very memorable. It does assist students to recognize phrases or words;

c)      It is good for kinesthetic learners who are required to be active in the class;

d)     It can be used both in large or small classes. In this case, it is no matter to have how many students you have as long as you are prepared to take the lead, the learners will follow;

e)      It works well with mixed-ability classes. The physical actions get across the meaning effectively so that all the learners are able to comprehend and apply the target language;

f)       It is no need to have a lot of preparation or materials using the TPR. In this regard, as long as you are competent of what you want to practice (a rehearsal beforehand can help), it will not take a lot of time to get ready;

g)      It is very effective with teenagers and young learners; and

h)      It involves both left and right-brained learning;

     In addition to such advantages, TPR has disadvantages. Among them are:

1.      Students who are not used to such things might find it embarrassing. This can be the case initially that if the teacher is prepared to perform the actions, the students feel happier about copying. In addition, the students are in a group and do not have to perform for the whole class. This pleasure is reserved for the teacher;

2.      It is only really suitable for beginner levels. Whilst, it is clear that it is far more useful at lower levels because the target language lends itself to such activities even though it can successfully be applied at Intermediate and Advanced levels. In this respect, it is essential to adapt the language, accordingly. For example, when teaching 'ways of walking' (stumble, stagger, and tiptoe) to an advanced class and cooking verbs to intermediate students (whisk, stir, and grate), TPR can be employed;

3.      It is not flexibly used to teach everything, and if used a lot, it would become repetitive. This method is a fun way of changing the dynamics and pace of a lesson used in conjunction with other methods and techniques. To sum up, TPR should best be combined with others since it needs much energy so that learners do not feel tired of learning language; and

4.      Although the use of TPR in the classroom has often been effective, it does have its flaws. One of this method flaws is that when a teacher uses TPR in their lesson, they will have trouble teaching abstract vocabulary or expressions. As a remedy, the teacher can write the word on cards with a picture if applicable. Another flaw is that TPR can be ineffective if the teacher uses it for a long period of time without switching it with other activities that help teach the target language. Since TPR is made up of mainly of commands, it tends to neglect narrative, descriptions, and conversation forms of language.

III.             CRITICAL OF TPR

     Some critical on TPR that provide by the group presenter are;

      1.       Group presenter did not explain that TPR is form of combination of brain lateralization that defines different function in the left and right brain hemisphere.

     2.      The presenter did not explain that TPR also can be linked to trace theory or repetition that is why it related to memory in psychology. So that the more often or the more intensively a memory connection is traced, the stronger the memory association will be and the more likely it will be recalled. Retracing can be done verbally or rote repetition.

   3.      The presenter also did not explain about the environmental for applying TPR. The important condition for successful language learning is the absence of stress. That is why it is very important to accompany first language learning by creating relaxed and pleasure experience. Besides that in learning process when teachers give feedback to the students, teachers should refrain from too much correction in the early stages and should not interrupt to correct errors, since this can inhibit learners.

IV.           RECOMMENDATION

Because TPR is linked to ‘trace theory’, or repetition so that it is very important for teacher to give clear command to students. Because the more often or the more intensively is traced, the stronger memory association will be. Besides that teaching language through TPR is appropriate to apply at a beginning level to teach basic speaking skill. Because they learn through command.

V.                SUGGESTION

            TPR method can be used by considering the condition of the class and the students, because this method is more appropriate for the children and if we apply this method every time can make students bored.

            After giving a brief explanation and some critical of the group presenter of TPR, we can give some suggestion to improve our activity in learning English using TPR method, they are:

1.      The important one in using TPR method is to make the student enjoy in learning second language and can reduce the stress of the student feel when studying foreign language, so the teacher should make the situation in class more enjoyable.

2.      The teacher should recombine elements of the commands to have students develop flexibility in understanding unfamiliar utterances.  These commands, which students perform, are humorous.

3.      The teacher interacts with the whole group or individually of student. Later on, the students become more verbal and the teacher responds non verbally.

4.      The teacher should be clear in giving commands through body movements.

5.      It is more interesting if the teacher using music in teaching TPR.

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