It is based upon the way that children learn their mother tongue. Parents have ‘language-body conversations’ with their children, the parent instructs and the child physically responds to this. The parent says, “Look at mummy” or “Give me the ball” and the child does so. These conversations continue for many months before the child actually starts to speak itself. Even though it can’t speak during this time, the child is taking in all of the language; the sounds and the patterns. Eventually when it has decoded enough, the child reproduces the language quite spontaneously. TPR attempts to mirror this effect in the language classroom.
Why it should be used in the classroom?
It is a lot of fun, students enjoy it and it can be a real stirrer in the class. It lifts the pace and the mood.
It is very memorable. It really helps students to remember phrases or words.
It is good for kinesthetic learners who need to be active in the class.
It works well with mixed-ability classes. The physical actions get across the meaning effectively so that all the students are able to understand and use the target language.
It is very effective with teenagers and young learners.
It involves both left- and right-brained learning.
Suggestopedia
The method for Adults includes long sessions without movement, and materials that are appropriate for adults. Children, however, get impacts from “the social suggestive norms” differently and their brains are more delicate than those of adults. Therefore, another method with different materials should be applied to children, which better matches their characteristics. Lessons for children are more incidental and short.
The effect of the method is not only in language learning, but also in producing favorable side effects on health, the social and psychological relations, and the subsequent success in other subjects.
In this method I apply:
1. a huge bulk of learning material.
2. professional, reliable and friendly attitude towards children
3. I teach the children through participation on games, songs, hand-crafted material.
4. The maximum number of participants is 8 kids in order to hold the lesson effectively for all of them, so everybody can speak, listen well, have own space and time to progress.
