A.

Total Physical Response

Total Physical Response (TPR) is a method developed by Dr. James J. Asher, a professor emeritus of psychology at San Jos State University, to aid learning second languages. The method relies on the assumption that when learning a second or additional language, language is internalized through a process of code breaking similar to first language development and that the process allows for a long period of listening and developing comprehension prior to production. Students respond to commands that require physical movement. TPR is primarily used by ESL/EAL teachers, although the method is used in teaching other languages as well. The method became popular in the 1970s and attracted the attention or allegiance of some teachers, but it has not received generalized support from mainstream educators. 1. Premise According to Asher, TPR is based on the premise that the human brain has a biological program for acquiring any natural language on earth - including the sign language of the deaf. The process is visible when we observe how infants internalize their first language. It looks to the way that children learn their native language. Communication between parents and their children combines both verbal and physical aspects. The child responds physically to the speech of their parent. The responses of the child are in turn positively reinforced by the speech of the parent. For many months the child absorbs the language without being able to speak. It is during this period that the internalization and code breaking occurs. After this stage the child is able to reproduce the language spontaneously. With TPR the language teacher tries to mimic this process in class. The method also promises double efficiency in terms of rate of learning, according to several studies in the literature and referenced in the above book. 2. Classroom usage In the classroom the teacher and students take on roles similar to that of the parent and child respectively. Students must respond physically to the words of the teacher. The activity may be a simple game such as Simon Says or may involve more complex grammar and more detailed scenarios.

TPR can be used to practice and teach various things. It is well suited to teaching classroom language and other vocabulary connected with actions. It can be used to teach imperatives and various tenses and aspects. It is also useful for story-telling. Because of its participatory approach, TPR may also be a useful alternative teaching strategy for students with dyslexia or related learning disabilities, who typically experience difficulty learning foreign languages with traditional classroom instruction. According to its proponents, it has a number of advantages: Students will enjoy getting up out of their chairs and moving around. Simple TPR activities do not require a great deal of preparation on the part of the teacher. TPR is aptitude-free, working well with a mixed ability class, and with students having various disabilities. It is good for kinesthetic learners who need to be active in the class. Class size need not be a problem, and it works effectively for children and adults. However, it is recognized that TPR is most useful for beginners, though it can be used at higher levels where preparation becomes an issue for the teacher. It does not give students the opportunity to express their own thoughts in a creative way. Further, it is easy to overuse TPR-- "Any novelty, if carried on too long, will trigger adaptation." It can be a challenge for shy students. Additionally, the nature of TPR places an unnaturally heavy emphasis on the use of the imperative mood, that is to say commands such as "sit down" and "stand up". These features are of limited utility to the learner, and can lead to a learner appearing rude when attempting to use his new language. Of course, as a TPR class progresses, group activities and descriptions can be used which continue the basic concepts of TPR into full communication situations. 3. Approach Theory of language Asher does not directly adress his view of language, but Richards and Rodgers state that the labeling and ordering of classroom activities seem to be build on the structural view of language.

Theory of learning Asher's language learning theories seem similar to those of other behavioral psychologists. There are three principles he elaborates;

Second language learning is parallel to first language learning and should reflect the same naturalistic processes

Listening should develop before speaking Children respond physically to spoken language, and adult learners learn better if they do that too

Once listening comprehension has been developed, speech devlops naturally and effortlessly out of it.

Adults should use right-brain motor activities, while the left hemisphere watches and learns

Delaying speech reduces stress.

4. Design Objectives Here are some of the objectives of Total Physical Response

Teaching oral proficiency at a beginning level Using comprehension as a means to speaking Using action-based drills in the imperative form

The syllabus TPR uses a sentence-based grammatical syllabus. Types of learning techniques and activities Activitis where a command is given in the imperative and the students obey the command isthe main activity in TPR. 5. Procedure Asher gives step-by step accounts of how to use TPR for English or other languages.

6. 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 kinaesthetic 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 practise (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;

B. Suggestopedia

Suggestopedia is a language teaching method developed by the Bulgarian psychologist, Georgi Lozanov (see picture on the right.) Like Community Language Learning and the Silent Way Method, Suggestopedia is an innovative method that promises great effective language learning results. Lozanov claimed that by using this method one can teach languages approximately three to five times as quickly as conventional methods. The name of Suggestopedia is from the words suggestion and pedagogy. It is a set of learning recommendations derived from Suggestology, which Lozanov describes as a science concerned with systematic study of the nonrational and/or nonconscience influences that human beings are constantly responding to. The method also draws from insights from yoga and the Soviet psychology. From yoga it draws the importance of relaxation of mind for maximum retention of material. From Soviet psychology Lozanov took the idea that all sudents can be taught a given subject matter at the same level of skill. Jack C. Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers (1986) The main features of suggestopedia are:

The use of music to relax learners. The furniture, decoration and the arrangement of the classroom. Teachers authority. The teacher plays a central role and he/she is the source of all information.

1. In the classroom The arrangements and the physical atmosphere in the classroom are paramount for making sure that the students feel comfortable and confident. The use of various techniques including art and music, are used by the trained teachers. In the beginning, the lesson based on Suggestopedia used to consist of three phases : deciphering, concert session (memorization sance), and elaboration. Later, it has developed into four phases as lots of experiments were done: introduction, concert session, elaboration, and production(cf Lozanovs siteweb).
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1. Introduction: The teacher teaches the material in a playful manner instead of analyzing lexis and grammar of the text in a directive manner. 2. Concert session (active and passive): in the active session, the teacher reads with special intonantion as selected music is played. Occasionally, the students read the text together with the teacher, and listen only to the music as the teacher pauses in particular moments. The passive session is done more calmly. 3. Elaboration: The students sing classical songs and play games while the teacher acts more like a consultant 4. Production: The students spontaneously speak and interact in the target language without interruption or correction. 2. Criticism: Suggestopedia has been criticised for a number of reasons:

It is not a practical method as teachers face the problem of the availability of music and comfortable chairs.

Lozanov refers in a number of occasions to the importance of memorization, excluding any reference to comprehension and creative problem solving. In fact language is not only about the power of the mind to memeorize. Its about understanding, interacting and producing novel utterences in different unpredictable situations.

3. Advantages In spite of all these disadvantages, some tenets of Suggestopedia have been accepted and adapted by teachers worldwide.

Through Suggetopedia we learn to trust the power of the mind. We also learn that delibrately induced states of relaxation can be valuable at times in the classroom.

We can also benefit from the use of music to get students sit back and relax.

These are some of the contributions of Suggestopedia that teachers may weigh and adapt to different situations.