LISTEN AND DO

LENGUA INGLESA Y SU DIDÁCTICA

URJC
Prof. Nuria García Manzanares
 INTRODUCTION
When you ask children in English to do
something you are:
• Using language for a purpose
• Giving them the opportunity to show they
understand
• Giving them the opportunity to acquire the
language and absorb the sounds and patterns
of the language naturally.
 Listening skills and young
learners
• Listening is the receptive use of language, and
since the goals is to make sense of the speech,
the focus is on meaning rather than language
(Cameron, 2001).
• For learners, listening is how spoken language
becomes input (i.e., it is the first stage of
learning a new language).
• The fact that learners are active during the
listening, rather than waiting until the end to do
something, keeps the learners busy and helps
prevent boredom.
 Listen and do activities:
giving instructions in English
• At first, use
gestures and
demonstrate what
you want them to
do.
- OK, your group
come up to the
front.
 Listen and do activities:
listening and identifying
When children do `listen and identify´
activities they are:
- Practising listening skills
- Making sense of English words and
phrases
- Developing their vocabulary
- Acquiring meaning and sound together
 Listening and identifying
activities for “Vocabulary
development”
• You can use: objects than you/children
bring in.
• Coloured bricks or blocks for colour words
or size words.
• The classroom and everything the children
can see.
• Objects they draw or make from paper,
plasticine, clay, …
 Listening and identifying
activities for “Vocabulary
development”
There are two stages:
1. Talk to them about the things you
want them to learn the names of.
Look, here is my umbrella.
2. Ask them to point to or show the
things when you name them.
Show me your umbrella.
 Listening and identifying
activities for “grammatical
awareness”
With older learners you can help them
distinguish between:
• Singular and plural
• Gender pronouns
You don’t teach grammar, but you help
them discover meaning.
Here we have a picture. What kind
of “listening and identify” activity
would you do with your students?
 Listening and doing –
Total Physical Response(TPR)
James J. Asher

• Originator of TPR
in the mid-1960s
• Professor of
Psychology, San
Jose State
University
 James J. Asher
• He observed a dropout rate of second
language students in traditional programs
(95%).

• He wondered why so many people have

problems when learning a second language
and no trouble while learning their first
language.
 James J. Asher
• Therefore, Asher decided to create a stress-
free approach to learning a second language.

• TPR is based on the premise that the human

brain has a biological program for acquiring any
natural language on earth.
 A New Way of Thinking
About L2 Learning
•"Babies don't learn by
memorizing lists; why
should children or
adults?"

Dr. Asher at Cambridge

University Conference
 What is TPR?
• 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 basis of Total Physical Response is seen in
every day, in every classroom, in every school, in
every country around the world.
• It is based on the idea that the natural response
to understanding a command is a physical
response.
 What is TPR?
• The aim of TPR is to teach basic speaking skills at
a beginning level.

• Great deal of listening & acting.

• Verbal response is not necessary

• The syllabus is predictable from the exercises

used in class.

• A sentence-based syllabus with grammatical and

lexical criteria in selecting teaching materials.

• It requires initial attention to meaning and

comprehension rather than to the grammar.
Grammar is taught inductively.
 What is TPR?
• Learning Activities:
Imperative drills are the major activity in
TPR classroom. Other activities include
role plays or slide presentations, however
dialogues are delayed until after 120
hours of instruction.
 TPR and the Right Brain
• When language is taught
by explaining, the left
brain is targeted and the
new information is kept
in short term memory.
• When language is taught
through movement, the
right brain “believes”
that information and
retains it. (Swimming,
ride a bike…)
TPR and the Right Brain

• TPR utilizes the

right brain by
mimicking the way
children acquire
their L1.

• Children are often

told to, “look, point,”
etc.
ROLE OF LEARNER &
TEACHER
TEACHER : ACTIVE ROLE.
– Decides what to teach/materials, etc…
– Tolerant towards mistakes at the
beginning.

LEARNER: LISTENER/PERFORMER.
– They listen attentively and respond
physically to the commands given.
 Physical aspects of
learning

• The use of kinaesthetic intelligence

and memory is particularly important
when we are teaching young children
because we know that they do not
learn in a conscious intellectual way.
• In simple terms, children do not learn
by thinking, but by ‘doing’ things.
 Physical response
For this reason, a teaching technique
based on commands is often used with
young children:
• Point to the window!
• Point to the duck!
• Show me the duck!
• Put the duck on the chair!
• Put the yellow duck on the chair and the
red duck on the desk!
• Draw an old man under the tree!
 Step One
• Students are given a command.
• They respond by performing the
appropriate gesture.
• Vídeo en:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk
MQXFOqyQA

• After watching the video, tell me

things that are striking or
interesting for you.
 The ‘silent period’
• We have all observed that people who
learn foreign languages outside the
classroom, go through a ‘silent period’. This
is a period during which they begin to
understand the language but do not have
the confidence to speak it. This is a
perfectly natural behaviour which we can
observe amongst adults as well as children.
 Step Two
• Students are given the commands in the
same order but without a model to copy.
• Students are given novel or unexpected
commands.
• Chomsky believes that this is real fluency

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2uIbG
3clHc
 Step Three
• After ten hours of instruction, the students are
welcome to give commands to the teacher.
• Also, reading activities can be introduced at this
point.
• Do NOT call this reading!!

• Vídeo en:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-
9g2v6E9wtg
 The physical attitude
• You are physical in your communication, so
encourage your children to be physical. As
you plan your lessons, ‘Think Physical!’ Ask
yourself "What can the children do?" Ask
yourself how you can build in a physical
dimension to their learning.
• If you have the space in your classroom, it
is very nice for the children to move
around.
• But if your classroom is small and crowded,
think what the children can do while they
are sitting or standing at their desks.
Why should I use it in the classroom?
• It is a lot of fun, students enjoy it. It lifts
the pace and the mood.
• It is very memorable. It really helps
students to remember phrases or words.
• It is good for kinaesthetic learners who
need to be active in the class.
• It can be used in large or small classes. It
doesn't really matter how many students
you have as long as you are prepared to
take the lead, the students will follow.
Why should I use it in the classroom?
• 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 doesn't require a lot of preparation or
materials. As long as you are clear what you want
to practise (a rehearsal beforehand can help) , it
won't take a lot of time to get ready.
• It is very effective with teenagers and young
learners.
• It involves both left and right-brained learning.
 Disadvantages….
• TPR is used for • It is easy to overuse
beginners, not TPR.
higher levels.
• It can be a challenge
• Students are not for shy students.
given the
opportunity to • Certain target
express themselves languages may not be
in a creative way. suited to this
method.
 In Summary…
• “Tell me, and I’ll
Total Physical Response
remember for a
techniques are very day.
useful to teachers of • Show me, and I’ll
young children remember for a
particularly before they
week.
begin to read and write.
• Involve me, and I’ll
remember for a
lifetime.”
 The Hokey Pokey
You put your right foot in,
You put your right foot out;
You put your right foot in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey-Pokey,
And you turn yourself around.
That´s what it´s all about!
You put your left foot in,
You put your left foot out; …

You put your right hand in,

You put your right hand out;…

You put your left hand in,

You put your left hand out; …

You put your head in,

You put your head out;..

You put your whole self in,

You put your whole self out;...
 Listening and doing –
Total Physical Response
TPR is when children listen and follow a
whole sequence of instructions, doing
what the teacher says.
- Follow the leader. The children follow her
and copy her movements.
- Topic-based TPR. She is practising clothes
vocabulary and simple movements.
 Listening and doing –
Total Physical Response
-TPR routines: you can use TPR to wake
children up.

- TPR for arranging the class.

 Listening and performing-
miming
“Miming means acting silently, without
speaking”
•Revising and consolidating topic words
through mime. The teacher can call out
actions to her class.
•Miming to rhymes and chants. The teacher
can use a chant to let the children do some
actions and work off some of their energy.
 TEACHING TIPS:
MIMING
• Give very young learners one
instruction at a time.
• Increase the number of instructions
in a sequence as learners progress.
• Using real things can make the mime
more realistic. Let children use
things they make or bring in.
 TEACHING TIPS:
MIMING
• Play a game like statues. The children
mime an activity to music-and then stands
still like statues when the music stops.
Anyone who moves after the music stops is
out.
• Groups or individual children can mime
different people or animals. The others
guess what or who they are miming.
 Listening and
performing-miming
I’m a little teapot
Short and stout
Here is my handle
Here is my spout.
When I get all steamed up,
Then I shout,
Just tip me over and pour me out!
Repeat Two Times
Vídeo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jotrjCfQ6N8
Rhymes:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/rhymes/Imalittleteapot.sh
tml
 Listening and responding
games
Playing games demands careful listening. Children
have fun and the games make them listen while the
teacher is speaking.
•Right or wrong / true or false.
•Simon says

“Listening and doing activities need action as a

response”
 Right or wrong
This is a good way of checking information for younger
learners.
Procedure:
•Line up the class in a row facing you.
•Say a sentence and students have to decide if the sentence is
right or wrong. For example, ‘Today is Friday' or ‘There are 14
students in our class today' or ‘Ann is wearing a green jumper'.
•If the sentence is right students should take a big step to
the right or clap once. If it's wrong, they should take a big
step to the left or clap twice.
•When the students get the idea, one of them can make up the
sentences.
•If you like, the last person to step, of the students who step
the wrong way, can be eliminated.
 Simon says
• Explain how to play "Simon Says."
Tell children that you will give
directions for them to follow. If you
say "Simon says" first, they should
do it. If you do not say "Simon says"
first, they should not do it. Tell
children to listen carefully and follow
directions.
 Simon says
• Simon says: "hands up", "hands down", "thumbs
up", "thumbs down", "fingers up", "fingers down".
• Simon says: "touch your eyes / ears / nose /
mouth with the forefinger / middle finger / ring
finger / little finger / of your (right) (left) hand.
• Simon says: "put your right hand / left hand /
both hands on your right / left knee."
• Simon says: "shut / open your eyes", "stand up /
sit down", "stand on your right / left leg".
• Simon says: "bend your knees / body", "straighten
your knees / body".
THE PHOTOGRAPHER – USEFUL VOCABULARY (SCAFFOLDING)
Stand next to ….. (him/her)
Stand up straight
Sit down
Turn to the right/left
Turn your head/body (a bit/a little) to the
left/right
Look the other way/at him (her, me)
Fold your arms
Cross your legs
Put your left/right leg/ankle/hand on your
left/right knee/shoulder/hip
Put your hands together
Put your hands behind your back/in front
Put your hands on your hips
Separate your legs/put your legs together
Stay still!
 REMEMBER

• “Listening and doing activities

need action as a response. This
lets you check immediately and
you know instantly if the children
understand or if they don’t.
 References
• Asher, J.J. (2005). TPR: After forty years, still a
very good idea. Retrieved March
25, 2006, from www.tpr-world.com/japan-
article.html
• Asher, J.J. (2003). Learning another language
through actions. Los Gatos:Sky Oaks
Productions, Inc.
• Asher, J.J., & Silvers, S. (2002-2003). How to
TPR abstractions: The critical role of
imagination. The Journal of the Imagination
in Language Learning and Teaching, 7, 60-64.
 References
• Asher, J.J. (1993). Imagination in second
language acquisition. The Journal of
the Imagination in Language Learning and
Teaching, 1. Retrieved April 1, 2006, from
www.njcu.edu/cill/vil1.asher.html.
• Asher, J. J. (1988). Brainswitching: A skill for the
21st century. Los Gatos: Sky Oaks
Productions, Inc.
• Conroy, P. (1999). Total physical response: An
instructional strategy for second-
language learners who are visually impaired.
Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness,
93(5). 145-148.
 References
• Cummins, J. (1980). Psychological assessment of
immigrant children: Logic or institution?
Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural
Development, 1(2), 97-111.
• Hadley, A.O. (1993). Teaching language in
context. Boston: Heinle and Heinle.
• Krashen, S. (2003). Explorations in language
acquisition and use. Portsmouth:
Heinemann.
 References
• Krashen, S. (1998). TPR: Still a very good idea.
NovELTy, 5(4). Retrieved March 25, 2006,
www.languageimpact.com/articles/other/kras
hentpr.htm
• Ray, B., & Seely, C. (1998). Fluency through TPR
storytelling. Berkley: Command Performance
Language Institute.
• Seely, C., & Romijn, E,. (1995). TPR is more than
commands- at all levels. Berkley: Command
Performance Language Institute.