I first learned about TPRS in 2005 at a NYSFLT conference. I listened to a story, learned a few words in French, and then learned that TPR was just about as polarizing in the LOTE world as cellphones in school! You either joined the cult, or you didn’t. As a new teacher, I wasn’t ready to do anything but try to keep my head above water and survive my first year! But, I honestly remember the few words from that conference to this day.

Fast forward 15 years. I went to a small PD with Martina Bex (suerte – I know!), and she said something that resonated with me: you can be a hybrid, and you can dabble. You can teach grammar, and you can use high levels of comprehensive input. She modeled two stories for us, and it was really fun. She even said it was OK to have the targets written in English or Spanish.

For those of you who are intrigued and unsure, a TPR story introduces a small amount of vocabulary that you repeat over and over in a story. The students can show that they understand with gestures, reactions, drawings to put on table when they hear each word, and/or tech tools like NEARPOD, forms, quizzes, etc.

If you want to dabble – the most important thing to remember is: this is YOUR style. Maybe you do things very differently than the greats, as long as the kids are learning, you are doing it correctly! Truth: I was genuinely nervous about the day while I drove into work. Luckily, in just one day, my skills really evolved (I teach the same class five times, but it hasn’t always been the case, so I have a lot of sympathy for those of you teaching 3 plus levels).

For my first story, I used one that was already made, by Martina “Las chicas no juegan al fútbol americano”, from her DEPORTES bundle. I recommend starting with other people’s stories – they have been tested and you already have enough new to figure out.

Tips before the day of the story:

1. Google TPRS and watch some! I mimicked the styles that I saw in short videos
2. The day before we went over ways you could react to something positively, and negatively. i.e.

                                   awwww, qué lástima, pobrecito/a – what a pity, poor thing!

excelente, bravo etc. – excellent, bravo

I also got the students used to me saying “clase, reacción?” and them having to respond in a dramatic way in Spanish appropriately to what I had said. This is a great informal way to read the room’s comprehension.

Day of the story

I targeted three words- wants, plays, and football, and the kids gestured every time I or a character said them. I also wrote them on the board and had images to support them.

The kids were very excited first period. I told the entire story and had 6 student play roles. I realized I could hand over more of the story to the kids, and in the next round fed them lines.

By the end of the day, I added lots more reactions, and repetition of the words with gestures. I kept thinking of the importance of circling back to the targets, which felt redundant at first but becomes more natural. I also made a quick true false based on the story to see if students comprehended.

After the story

Many students reported they understood 90%, and some said “I learn better this way”. I also found my story took a lot out of me, I tend to the dramatic side and I was a little pooped by the end of the day. Lesson learned: if your class is long enough, have a less teacher-centric activity paired with the story.

This lesson was a step out of my comfort zone. Sometimes when I step out, things backfire. I don’t blog about those!  The real deal of teaching is often much messier than the way we brand our classrooms on social media, and I promise you every great teacher has left school in tears at least a few times in their career.

But, trying to new things makes me excited, helps me recharge, and reaffirms my love for teaching.

 

This blog is going to be part 1 of my #trysomethingnew series, because that is truly #wherethemagic happens!