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Motivating very young learners' communication through TPR Day/ Time: April 3, 2008, 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM Presenters: Olha Missechko, PhD, Associate Professor Chair of FLT Methodology, Zhytomyr State University, Ukraine Myroslava Matys, primary and secondary school teacher of English Private Gymnasium "Or Avner", Zhytomyr, Ukraine E-mail Address: [email protected] Introduction TPR stands for Total Physical Response. The approach, called TPR, introduces the language through the use of commands and has learners demonstrate their understanding through action responses to the given commands. Teacher physically and verbally models commands for learners who are then required to respond with appropriate actions. Total Physical Response (TPR) is based on the theory that the memory is enhanced through association with physical movement. It is also closely associated with theories of mother tongue language acquisition in very young children, where they respond physically to parental commands. The predecessor of TPR did not have a name. It was apparently born in the early 1920s with the work of Harold E. Palmer (1877- 1949) and his daughter Dorothee in Japan, where he was linguistic advisor to the Ministry of Education in 1922-1923 and, from 1923 to 1936, Director of the Institute for Research in English Teaching. They published the first known book, English through Actions, about this approach to language teaching and learning in Tokyo in 1925. In 1960 James J. Asher, Professor of Psychology at San Jose State University (USA), undertook experiments to solve the problem of how to facilitate the acquisition of a second language. One of his first articles on the matter was - Asher, J. (1965). The strategy of total physical response: An application to learning Russian. International Review of Applied Linguistics, 3, 291-300. In 1977 J.Asher published the first edition of Learning Another Language through Actions: the Complete Teacher’s Guidebook. As Stephen Krashen admits, Asher was the first in second/foreign language pedagogy to recognize the primacy of comprehension in language development. The strategy of Total Physical Response was suggested and developed to give children time to get the feel of a foreign language – the period of absorbing, understanding and imitating - through inviting 1

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Page 1: Final Version, Motivating Very Young Learners Communication Through TPR, Handouts

Motivating very young learners' communication through TPR

Day/ Time: April 3, 2008, 11:30 AM – 12:15 PMPresenters: Olha Missechko, PhD, Associate Professor

Chair of FLT Methodology, Zhytomyr State University, UkraineMyroslava Matys, primary and secondary school teacher of EnglishPrivate Gymnasium "Or Avner", Zhytomyr, Ukraine

E-mail Address: [email protected]

IntroductionTPR stands for Total Physical Response. The approach, called TPR, introduces the language through

the use of commands and has learners demonstrate their understanding through action responses to the given commands. Teacher physically and verbally models commands for learners who are then required to respond with appropriate actions.

Total Physical Response (TPR) is based on the theory that the memory is enhanced through association with physical movement. It is also closely associated with theories of mother tongue language acquisition in very young children, where they respond physically to parental commands.

The predecessor of TPR did not have a name. It was apparently born in the early 1920s with the work of Harold E. Palmer (1877- 1949) and his daughter Dorothee in Japan, where he was linguistic advisor to the Ministry of Education in 1922-1923 and, from 1923 to 1936, Director of the Institute for Research in English Teaching. They published the first known book, English through Actions, about this approach to language teaching and learning in Tokyo in 1925.

In 1960 James J. Asher, Professor of Psychology at San Jose State University (USA), undertook experiments to solve the problem of how to facilitate the acquisition of a second language.

One of his first articles on the matter was - Asher, J. (1965). The strategy of total physical response: An application to learning Russian. International Review of Applied Linguistics, 3, 291-300.

In 1977 J.Asher published the first edition of Learning Another Language through Actions: the Complete Teacher’s Guidebook. As Stephen Krashen admits, Asher was the first in second/foreign language pedagogy to recognize the primacy of comprehension in language development.

The strategy of Total Physical Response was suggested and developed to give children time to get the feel of a foreign language – the period of absorbing, understanding and imitating - through inviting them first to action responses to the verbal stimuli, before they start real communication. It is based upon the way that children learn their mother tongue.

What can be accomplished with TPR:- it develops listening comprehension before speaking;- it is superior to other ways of acquiring concrete vocabulary (such as action verbs, names of

objects, prepositions of place, many adjectives and adverbs);- it helps to practice grammar;- it practices classroom language, imperatives and instructions;- it is good for story-telling;- it helps to be active and enjoy doing things in English.

The following succession of steps for a TPR activity can be recommended:I. Pre-teaching/ Revising language material (with a lot of visual aids, miming, gestures). II. Presenting a TPR activity:

- the teacher gives instructions and acts, the children watch silently;- the teacher gives instructions and acts, the children do the actions silently;- the teacher gives instructions without acting, the children do the actions silently;- the teacher gives instructions and acts, the children do the actions and comment them;- the teacher acts silently, the children do the actions and comment them without the teacher.© Olga Missechko, 2008

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III. The children give instructions themselves in different modes (to the whole class, to a small group, to each other in pairs, etc.)

TPR is reported to be used most productively with young learners. To show different characteristics of children at different ages, sometimes a distinction is made between very young learners aged under 7 years, and young learners aged 7 to 12.

So the basic idea of TPR is that a language learner hears something in the language and physically responds   to it. Children's response to the teacher's input may be of different forms:

- listening and identifying/pointing;- listening and doing;- listening and making/coloring/drawing;- listening and performing/miming/acting out;- listening and responding games. Variations of TPR: TPR-B, TPR-O, TPR-P, TPRS:Raid Wilson suggests four major types of activities that can be done using the TPR (Wilson R. "Maximize

Your Language Learning Through TPR") and refers to them as TPR-B, TPR-O, TPR-P, and TPRS. R.Wilson refers to TPR-B for "TPR with body", which includes everything that can be done with

general body  movement: stand up, sit down, turn around, turn right, turn left, lift up your arm, touch your nose, etc. This is  best done in a room with some space to move around.

TPR-O stands for "TPR with objects". This is best done sitting a table that has some objects on it: learn the words for "apple", "banana", "orange", and so on, but also, "give  me", "take", "put", "smell", "bite", "roll", "peel", and "show me".

TPR-P with Wilson stands for "TPR with pictures".TPR-S was developed by Blaine Ray. It   involves the teacher (and eventually the students) acting

out simple stories as a means of understanding the story and internalizing vocabulary.

Classification of tasks involving TPR activities

General character of activities Types of activities Kinds of TPR tasks

I. Following instructions

Commands Single commandsClassroom InstructionsListening and matching

Action series Command action seriesOperationsMinidramas

“Iffy” or Conditional SeriesFinding your way

Action games Classroom gamesPlayground games

'Iffi' gamesCraft activities coloring, cutting, gluing, sticking, making greeting

cards, posters, models etc.Puzzles Treasure-hunting

II. Miming

Miming descriptions

Miming descriptionsPlaying ‘Let’s pretend’Guessing from miming

Miming actions Simple actionsOperations

StoriesFairy-tails

Miming and Rhymes

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keeping the rhythm

ChantsShort poems

Songs

III. Acting outStorytelling Invented stories

Language experience storiesPicture stories

Natural action dialogues

Situations for real-life dialogues

Role-playing Imaginary situations

I. Following instructionsIt's better to start with following instructions. Use gestures and demonstrate what you want the

children to do. When children listen and do they are making sense of English words and phrases, acquiring meaning and sound together, developing their vocabulary, distinguishing between grammar patterns.

1.1. CommandsCommands are a good way to start using English for communication in the classroom. After good

training the children can give commands to each other.

1.1.1. Single commands 1. Hop. 2. Walk. 3. Run. 4. Jump. 5. Sit down and rest. 6. Get up. 7. Hop. 8. Stop.

1.1.2. Classroom InstructionsOpen/ close the door.Turn on/ turn off the lights.Write on/ erase the blackboard.Take out/ put away your textbooks.

1.1.3. Listen and match

1.2. Action seriesAction series can provide good practice with different grammar patterns (singular and plural forms

of nouns, numerals, pronouns, prepositions, adverbs of direction, verb tenses and aspects, degrees of comparison of adjectives and adverbs etc.) Special attention should be paid to strictly following the succession of the actions.

1.2.1. Command action seriesCan involve drawing, coloring, painting, pointing to objects, following the leader. May be given in a

form of a command (Draw a big circle.) or in a form of a narrative with various verb forms/tenses (This animal has a large head/ This animal is standing under a tree/ This animal was standing under a tree.)

'Drawing a Picture'1. Draw a lake.2. Draw two trees next to the lake.3. Draw a rock between the trees.4. Draw a fish in the lake.5. Draw the sun over the lake.6. Draw two birds near the trees.7. Draw grass around the lake.8. Show your picture to your desk-mate.9. Say something nice about his/her picture.

1.2.2. Operations

An operation is a procedure for doing something, using a natural sequence of events. ' Setting a Table'1. Put the plate in the center of the placement.

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2. Take a napkin.3. Put the napkin to the left of the plate.4. Place the knife to the right of the plate.

5. Put the fork on the left-hand side of the plate, on top of the napkin.6. Set the glass near the tip of the knife.7. Look at the table. Do you like it?8. Take your seat at the table.

1.2.3. Minidramas 'Crossing a Street'We are going to cross a street.Let's walk to the curb at the crossing place.Look to the left. Are there any cars coming?If yes, wait till the car is gone. If no, cross the first half of the road.Stop in the middle. Look to the right. Are there any cars coming?If yes, wait till the car is gone. If no, cross the second half of the road.Now you are on the opposite side of the street.Very good!

1.2.4. “Iffy” or Conditional Series If you like bananas, wave to me. If you like apples more, stand up. If you don’t eat both bananas and apples, stamp your feet.

1.2.5. Finding your wayInvolving learners in marking a route on a town plan or road map according to spoken directions.

1.3. Action gamesTPR games are of ‘listen and do’ type. For one thing, they provide good linguistic practice, for another

thing, they help children see learning English as an enjoyable and rewarding process. Besides, playing games develops the ability to co-operate, to compete without being aggressive, and to be a good looser.

Games presuppose setting some rules and demand very careful listening to the commands to act correctly. You can play games inside or outside. Explain in L1 before you start a new game and then say it in English. Later on the children can give the commands in the action games.

1.3.1. Classroom games'Would You Please' (a variation of "Simon Says")

The teacher introduces the game to the class. When s/he says 'Would you please touch your nose?' the children follow the instruction. When the teacher does not say "Would you please …?' the children do not complete the action.

First, the teacher works with the whole class. When the children understand the game, they can practice in pairs. After they have practiced in pairs, a volunteer can lead the whole class in a game. The child who misses (follows the command that does not include the words 'Would you mind…') becomes the leader and goes to the front of the class to give instructions.

1.3.2. Playground games'Сlock' (the whole class game, in two teams)

The aim of the game is to practice the time (hours and minutes). The teacher draws a clock on the ground, with the numbers inside it. The players are divided into two teams. One team represents the ‘big hand’ and the other team – the ‘little hand’ of the clock. The teams stand in two equal rows. The teacher/leader calls out a time, e.g. Ten past seven. The players on the end of each row reproduce the time by standing at appropriate points of the clock. Each player who stands in the correct place is given one

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point. The winning team is the team with most points at the end of the game, which can be whenever the teacher wishes, e.g. after 10 minutes.

1.3.3. 'Iffi' games 'Please Mr. Crocodile'

Two parallel lines are drawn on the ground – it's a river. The teacher introduces the game to the class. S/he plays the role of Mr.Crocodile. The children are standing at one line – on one side of the river. They have to get to the other line – to cross the river. They ask Mr. Crocodile, "Please Mr. Crocodile, can we cross the water to see your lovely daughter swimming in the water?" Mr. Crocodile answers, "Yes, you can cross the water to see your lovely daughter swimming in the water, only if you are wearing something green". Kids wearing something green can cross the river safely. The others have to run from one side of the river to the other, Mr. Crocodile tries to catch them. If he caught none, he has to change his tasks ("Only if you have a sister", "only if you are born in autumn" etc.). Anyone caught joins Mr. Crocodile.

1.4. Puzzles'Treasure-hunting'

Teacher: Listen to my instructions and answer the questions.1. Start at G8. 2. Go left five squares. Stop. Go down two squares. Stop. Where are you? B6 What can you see? Palm Beach .

3. Go right six squares. Stop. Where are you? ________ What can you see? ________4. Go up three squares. Stop. Where are you? _____Look towards the sea. What can you see? _____ 5. Go down five squares. Stop. Where are you? _____ What can you see? ______ 6. Go up three squares. Stop. Go right one square. Stop. Where are you?__ What can you see?___ 7. Go left six squares. Stop. Go up two squares. Stop. Where are you? ____ Your treasure is here. Where is it? __ 8. Draw the treasure on the map.

A B C D E F G H I J K

1.5. Craft activitiesCraft activities involve children in a more creative process of with the help of the teacher's

instructions. The children create things they can be proud of and take home to show to their family. Crafts

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not only stimulate children’s imagination, but also develop hand-eye co-ordination and inspire peer learning. It's very important to display all what they have made because it gives the children pride in their work and creates positive motivation. It can raise cultural awareness about celebrations and traditions in other countries.

There are opportunities for co-operation between learners. Give your instructions to the whole class and then later to small groups or to individual children. Revise the colors and the objects they will need.

'Making Paper Chains'Teacher: Let's make paper chains and decorate our classroom (New Year tree, etc.). Follow my instructions (children can work individually, or in pairs/small groups).1. Pick up a white paper strip.2. Put some glue on one end. Glue both ends together.3. Pick up a blue paper strip. Put the strip through the circle.4. Put some glue on one end of it. Glue both ends together.5. Pick up a red paper strip. Put the strip through the circle. 6. Put some glue on one end of it. Glue both ends together.7. Pick up a yellow paper strip. Put the strip through the circle. 8. Put some glue on one end of it. Glue both ends together. … (paper strips of all colors the

children know are involved).Teacher: What pretty paper chains! Let's decorate our classroom with them.

II. MimingMiming is more complex than following instructions, because it gives the children more freedom to

be creative. Creativity helps to remember language material better. Miming is a good way of presenting, reviewing, or checking understanding of the language. The children may need some thinking time to perform what is described. Use pictures to help the children remember the meaning of the words. Once they understand some of the words, you can gradually remove the pictures.

Later, use mime as an input for speaking activity and let the children describe what is happening.

2.1. Miming descriptions

2.1.1. Miming descriptions1.You are a tree, grow tall.2. You’re a very bouncy ball.3. You’re a lady in the rain.4. You’re a butterfly, fly from one flower to another.

2.1.2. Playing ‘Let’s pretend’Let’s pretend we are animals. Let’s pretend we are weather forecast.

2.1.3. Guessing from mimingThe teacher can let individuals/ pairs/ groups mime and let the rest of the class guess what they are

doing.

2.2. Miming actions

2.2.1. Simple actions1. Take an apple, turn on the water, put the apple under the water and wash it.2. Take a dish towel and wipe it dry.3. Eat it as if it tastes great/ very sweet/ very sour, etc.

II.2.2.Operations'Sewing a Button'

1. Thread the needle.

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2. Tie a knot in the end of the thread.3. Hold the button on the fabric.4. Pull the needle through the fabric and one of the holes in the button.5. Bring the needle back through another hole.6. Repeat until the button is on tightly.7. Tie a knot in the thread.8. Cut the thread.

2.2.3. StoriesStories are highly motivating, rich in language experience, and easy to be followed with bodily and

facial movement. Many items of vocabulary, including both animate and inanimate objects, actions, feelings, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, can be communicated by mime. New words may be introduced before the story or while you are telling it. Be sure to make your movements simple and slow.

TPR stories should include repetitions, lots of gestures to make the meaning very clear, dramatic tone of voice to keep a group of children enthralled. This works particularly well to start with traditional folk tales from the children’s own cultural background (‘The Great Big Enormous Turnip’, ‘Three Bares’), or old favourites (‘Little Red Riding Hood’), and move to stories for native speakers (‘The Gingerbread Man’, ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’, etc.) .

‘Tammy’s cat’Tammy has a cat in the chair. The cat runs away. Tammy looks everywhere for the cat. She

looks under the table, behind the curtain, into the wardrobe, on the book-shelf, into the bathroom. There's no cat anywhere. She comes back and sits down. Oh! The cat is sleeping in the chair.

2.2.4. Fairy-tails'The Turnip'

Characters: The Turnip, Grandfather, Grandmother, Granddaughter, The Dog, The Cat, The Mouth Once Grandfather planted a turnip seed in his kitchen-garden and forgot about it. The turnip seed grew, and grew, and grew, and turned into a big turnip. One day Grandfather saw looked at it and was very surprised.

Grandfather: Oh! What a big turnip we have in our kitchen-garden. I want to pull it.One, two, three! It is too big for me.Granny, come here! Help me, please!

Pulls the turnip. No result.Waves to Grandmother.

Grandmother: All right, Grandfather. I'm coming. Comes and holds Grandfather.Grandfather and

Grandmother:One, two, three! … One, two, three!Oh! It is too big for us.

Pulling together. No result.Wipe the sweat from brow.

Grandmother: Granddaughter, Granddaughter, help us, please! Waves to Granddaughter.Granddaughter: All right, Granny. I'm coming. Comes and holds Grandmother.

Grandfather, Grandmother and Granddaughter:

One, two, three! … One, two, three! ... One, two, three!Oh! It is too big for us.

Pulling together. No result.Wipe the sweat from brow.

Granddaughter: Dog, Dog, come here! Help us, please! Waves to the Dog.The Dog: All right, Granddaughter. I'm coming. Comes and holds

Granddaughter.Grandfather, Grandmother,

Granddaughter and the Dog:

One, two, three! … One, two, three! ... One, two, three!Oh! It is too big for us.

Pulling together. No result.Wipe the sweat from brow.

The Dog: Cat, Cat, come here! Help us, please! Waves to the Cat.The Cat: All right, Dog. I'm coming. Comes and holds the Dog.

Grandfather, Grandmother, Granddaughter, the Dog and

the Cat:

One, two, three! … One, two, three! ... One, two, three!Oh! It is too big for us.

Pulling together. No result.Wipe the sweat from brow.

The Cat: Mouse, Mouse, come here! Help us, please! Waves to the Mouse.The Mouse: All right, Cat. I'm coming. Comes and holds the Cat.

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Grandfather, Grandmother, Granddaughter, the Dog,

the Cat and the Mouse:One, two, three! … One, two, three! ... One, two, three!

Pulling together.Fall down.

The Turnip: Here I am! Standing up.All together: Oh! What a big turnip we have! Clap their hands.

2.3. Miming and keeping the rhythm

Music and rhythm are a highly motivating part of ELT for children. A chant is like a song without music, or a poem with a very marked rhythm. Combination of music, rhythm and simultaneous action enhances the process of language acquisition. It is worth remembering also that music and rhythm are good warmers-up. They tune the children into English lesson and help them remember what they had learned. Besides you can use songs and chants in the middle of a lesson as a break from another activity, or at the end, to round a lesson off.

Rhymes and songs teach pronunciation, intonation and stress in a natural way. They are very good to teach vocabulary and structures because most of them use repetitive language. They help build confidence and make the children feel close to one another. Repeating the words and doing the actions bring the children closer to real life communication. Once the class knows the rhyme/chant/song pretty well, you can divide them into groups and give each group part of it.

Actions to the words being the first step, the further steps include children’s singing songs, clapping the rhythm, humming the tune to the music, reciting rhymes and chants.

2.3.1. Rhymes'Two Hungry Crocodiles'

Two hungry crocodiles waiting at the gate With both hands in front, make One called Sally, one called Kate snapping actions of crocodile’s jawsGo away Sally Put right arm behindGo away Kate Put left arm behindCome back Sally Bring right arm backCome back Kate Bring left arm backVariation: You can change the rhyme by substituting other animals, verbs or places: Two pretty parrots sitting on the gate… Fly away Sally, fly away Kate Two lazy lions lying by the chair… Run away Larry, run away Claire Two little brothers playing with a ball… One called Peter, one called Paul etc.

2.3.2. Chants‘Food Train’

Children are miming the movements of a train following the rhythm of the chant. What is the train bringing?

Bacon and eggs. (Each line is repeated 4 times, Apples and pears. children are moving according to the rhythm)Bread and butter. Plums and custard. Cheese and biscuits. Fish and chips. Chocolate cake. Ice cream. Oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-ooo!

2.3.3. Short poems

'Nock-nock''Nock-'nock. Pretend to nock.

'Who is 'that?It's 'grandma's 'pussycat. Put your fingers around your eyes like glasses for grandma;

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put you hand behind you and wave it to represent a cat's tail.'What do you 'want?

A 'bowl of 'honey. Cup your hands in front of you.'Where is your 'money? Put both palms out, expressing 'where', and rub your thumb and first

two fingers for 'money'. 'In my 'pocket. Tap your pocket.

'Where is your 'pocket? Pretend to put your hand in your pocket.'I can't 'find it! Hit your forehead with your open palm.

'What a 'silly 'pussycat! Shake your finger at the cat.

2.3.4. Songs

III. Acting outActing out (drama) is valuable in language teaching, because when children are pretending to be

someone else, especially if they are wearing a costume or a mask, they will very often feel and speak more freely.

3.1. StorytellingTelling and reading stories to children should be a central part of primary language teaching classes. Give the children time to appreciate your acting out the story and to feel how it contributes to the

meaning of the story. Don’t forget to involve the children to pick up the repeated dialogues, mime the story, and chant the words they had managed to memorize.

It would be only natural to develop storytelling into role-playing. First, the teacher should divide the story, with the children’s help, into different scenes. Then, discuss what you will need (you can use real objects, or their pictures, or even ask the children themselves to represent objects in the story) and allocate roles. It is worth appointing a narrator who will introduce the scene and characters, say what props are supposed to be used, lead the narration. The children can dress up as a fictional character or draw their character on a piece of paper and hold it in front of themselves. Having masks and using make-up will also do.

3.1.1. Invented stories‘A Cat Wants to Have a Friend’

A cat wants to have a friend. It looks at everyone who passes by. Everyone who passes by asks, "Little cat! Little cat! What do you want?"

And the little cat says, "I want to have a friend".A dog passes by and says, "Do you want me to be your friend?""Sing me a song," says the cat. - "Bow, wow, wow," says the dog. "I don't like your song," says the cat. "I don't want to be y our friend".A cock passes by and says, "Do you want me to be your friend?""Sing me a song," says the cat. - "Cock-a-doodle-doo" says the cock. "I don't like your song," says the cat. "I don't want to be your friend".Then a mouse passes by passes and says, "Do you want me to be your friend?""Sing me a song," says the cat. - "Piu, piu," says the mouse. "Oh! I like your song," says the cat. "Let's be friends".What a funny little mouse! It want's to play with the cat!

3.1.2. Language experience storiesAn activity suggested by Caroline Linse (1983) – a group-authored story written about a shared

experience, e.g. the class could be engaged in making paper hats (of different colors) and then describe the activities as a sequence of movements.

3.1.3. Picture storiesChildren together with the teacher go over a sequence of pictures, demonstrate their understanding

by pointing to specific items in a picture or to particular picture in the sequence. As an extension activity,

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they can direct the teacher or each other (when they work in pairs or small groups), using the pictures as their guide (N. Takahashi & M. Frauman-Prickel 1999).

3.2. Natural action dialoguesPlaying hide-and seek

Teacher suggests playing hide-and seek. Children find the place in the classroom (playground) to hide. One child is counting up to ten. Then s/he walks around the place and tries to find where the other children are hiding. S/he comments as s/he walks like 'I can see … under the desk'. The teacher can ask: 'Where's …?' or 'Who's hiding behind the bookcase?', etc. Children can also give hints like 'Where am I? Find me.' Children go out of their hiding place only if their location is traced correctly.

3.3. Role-playing‘Going to the Doctor’s’

Description: The children learn how to describe common ailments and role- play being at the doctor's.

Material: An overall, a toy stethoscope (if available) or an improvised one with a bit of rubber or plastic tubing; a picture of a doctor.

1 Show the picture of the doctor and ask the children if they know who it is and if they have ever been to the doctor's. Ask if they know the name of their doctor. (This stage could take quite a long time if the children want to regale you with all the illnesses they've had. You will need to use your own discretion depending on how long the lesson lasts.)

2 Hold your head and start moaning: Oh, oh, I've got a headache. Then hold your stomach, moan, and say: I've got stomach-ache. Then put your hand on your jaw and say: I've got toothache. Wipe your brow and say: I've got a temperature. Pretend to sneeze and say: I've got a cold.

3 Do this once or twice then call out one of the children. Say: I've got a headache and see if she/he can mime the action. Do this with other children and the other expressions.

4 Call out one of the children to do a mime and the other children have to say: headache, toothache etc.

5 Drill the sentences, getting the children to mime as they say them.6 Put on the overall and put the stethoscope round your neck and say: I'm the doctor. Ask for a

volunteer to come out and be the patient.7 Ask the 'patient': What's the matter with you?8 Get her/him to mime and say: I've got...9 Pretend to write a prescription and say: Here you are.Repeat this with one or two more children and then let them do the role-play in pairs.

ReferencesAsher, James J. 1977. Learning Another Language Through Actions: The Complete Teacher's

Guidebook. 1st ed. Los Gatos, CA: Sky Oaks.Linse, Caroline. 1983. The Children's Response. TPR and Beyond. 1st ed. Alemany Press, a division of

Janus Book Publishers, Inc.Nelson, Gayle, and Thomas Winters. 1993. Operations in English. Brattleboro, Vermont. Pro Lingua

Associates.Ray, Blaine, and Contee Seely. 1997. Fluency Through TPR Storytelling. Bakersfield, CA: Command

Performance Language Institute. Reilly Vanessa, and Sheila M.Ward. 1997. Very Young Learners. Oxford. Oxford University Press. Roth, Genevieve. 1998. Teaching Very Young Children. Pre-school and Early Primary. London.

Richmond Publishing.Seely, Contee, and Elizabeth K. Romijn. 1998. TPR Is More Than Commands – At All Levels. 2nd ed.

Berkley, CA: Command Performance.Slattery, Mary and Jane Willis.2001. English for Primary Teachers. Oxford. Oxford University Press.

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Takahashi, Noriko, and Maxine Frauman-Prickel. 1999. Action English Pictures. Burlingame, Cal. Alta Book Center Publishers.

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