TPRS! Teaching Proficiency through

Reading and Storytelling!

Dr. Lynn M. Kutch�Kutztown University of Pennsylvania �

Storytelling for Introducing and ReinforcingVocabulary !

Remember...!

!   most language teachers learned the most language outside of the classroom �

!   “Proficiency in a new language is achieved through human learning and living.” -Ray & Seely, xvi-xvii�

Remember...!!   most language teachers tend to forget how difficult it is

to learn a language because they have acquired a feeling of ease about it �

!   � �PREVIEW: Example of “Circling” in TPRS �

Do science teachers forget how difficult it is? �Do language teachers forget how difficult it is to ride a bike? ��Who forgets how difficult it is? �What do most language teachers forget? �Why do most language teachers forget? �

�

The Guiding Principles!!   A language class must be comprehensible �!   Students must receive sufficient aural comprehensible

input (must maintain interest of students) �!   Students must be able to express themselves orally in

their own words (not memorized) �!   Class must be conducted in target language �!   High teacher expectations�

Classroom Fluency Model!!   Making the class 100% comprehensible �!   Frequent aural repetition in development of stories�!   Keeping the class interesting�!   Oral interaction among students with topics of interest

to them �

Asking (versus telling) a Story !!   Students involved;

providing details, but teacher maintains control of content �

What are their names? Where are they going?

How are they getting there? When are they traveling?

Circling/Providing Repetitions!!   Asking a series of

questions (yes/no; w-questions) about a particular fact, phrase or word�

Are they traveling to China? Are they traveling in winter?

Where are they going? Who’s traveling to ....?

Adding New Details!!   Mike and Ashley are

traveling in July by motorcycle to Switzerland. �

Why are they traveling together?

Why are they traveling by motorcycle?

Why don’t they travel in the wintertime?

Keeping Interest High !!   having students help

develop stories�!   making students the

stars�!   dramatizing stories�!   asking students about

lives�!   using unexpected and

bizarre content �

Story takes place in 3 locations!!   1st: introduce problem �!   2nd location: first

attempt to resolve problem �

!   3rd location: problem solved�

Circling to Build a Story !!

!   The boy wants to have a cat. �!   Does the boy want to have a cat?

!   Does the boy want to have a cat or a dog?

!   Does the boy want to have a dog?

!   Who wants to have a cat? !   What does the boy want?

!   Does the boy want to have a big cat? �!   What kind of cat does the boy want to have? �!   Think of locations and problem.

Hands-on

• Choose a small group of significant words (3-5) from this list (Deutsch aktuell, chapter 5) that you would like to introduce.

• car, soon, to visit, pay, hot, helmet, cold, cash register, broken, reasonably priced, to rain, speak, sell

•  Location 1: problem

•  Location 2: attempt at solution

•  Location 3: problem solved

• car, soon, visit, pay, hot, helmet, cold, cash register, broken, reasonably priced, to rain, speak, sell.

Emphasis on the Bizarre

Hands-on • Start: There was boy/girl/man/woman/rockstar...

• Problem: He wanted....

• Details: He lived in..... (Location 1) He went to.....(Location 2) because/in order to... [No successful solution] He went to... (Location 3) [Problem solved]

• 

• car, soon, visit, pay, hot, helmet, cold, cash register, broken, reasonably priced, to rain, speak, sell.

•  Create yes/no and w-questions (W-Fragen) to “circle” each part of the story

•  Ask questions that can be answered with the information, as well as questions for which students will have to make up answers (eliciting further detail)

•  Compose further questions that you could use along the way to elicit further details

• car, soon, visit, pay, hot, helmet, cold, cash register, broken, reasonably priced, to rain, speak, sell.

My Adaptations of the Storytelling Method

How do you practice vocabulary when Easter Bunny, exercise bike and women’s clothing department all appear in one chapter’s lists?

Reinforcing Textbook Vocabulary

German Example: Separable Prefix Verbs

Reinforcing a Certain Grammar Point

Example: Biography of King Ludwig II

Summarizing a Textbook Reading Selection

Hands-on • Create a story in

TPRS style (3-5 pages)

• Create circling questions for each page (yes/no/”w”)

• Create personal questions related to the theme for ,,Zum Thema: Mit einem Partner: ganz schnell” interludes

Sharing Stories!