TPR Storytelling

A structured storytelling method in which three target phrases are established through gestures, then used to build and retell a simple story. Developed by Blaine Ray from Asher's Total Physical Response.

The Three Steps

1. Establish meaning: Teach 3 target phrases through gesture, translation, or picture. Drill with Simon-Says-style comprehension checks until secure.
2. Tell the story: Narrate a short story (30–60 seconds) that uses the three phrases repeatedly. Ask personalised questions as you go — Who has ever eaten a whole pizza? How many minutes? — to recycle language and keep attention high.
3. Retell: Students retell the story in pairs, then one reconstructs it for the class. Later, students read a written version and respond.

Example Mini-Cycle (A1)

Target phrases: was hungry / wanted to eat / ran to the kitchen

Story seed: There was a boy named Minh. Minh was very, very hungry. What did he want to eat? (Elicit.) He ran to the kitchen. What did he see?

Why It Works

• Compelling input: the story circles the same structures many times without feeling repetitive.
• Gesture anchors: each target phrase has a physical signature, aiding recall.
• Personalisation: student-supplied details make the story theirs, not the book's.

Tips

• The three phrases are the scaffold — don't overload the story with new vocabulary.
• Ask comprehension questions constantly: yes/no, either/or, wh-. Keep processing active.
• Circle back: after the story, revisit the phrases in the next lesson; TPRS lives on recycling.

Variations

• MovieTalk: narrate a short silent video using target phrases.
• Ping-pong retell: pairs alternate sentences to rebuild the story.
• Illustrated retell: groups draw 4 panels; each panel is captioned with one target phrase.