I’ve seen references to this newer version of TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling) from US teachers and was curious to find out more. I asked ChatGPT, which gave me the description below. Given its main sources, I would think the description makes sense, though no doubt TPRS-users would differ in their interpretations. After sharing the AI description, I’ll add a few thoughts about TPRS (both versions). I risk treading on one or two toes! ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… TPRS 2.0 is an updated version of Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS) , developed and promoted by Blaine Ray and colleagues. Unlike the original TPRS, which emphasized comprehensible input through teacher-led storytelling and reading, TPRS 2.0 deliberately builds in more opportunities for learners to produce language, while still keeping input at the centre of the approach. The main innovations are: A greater focus on “manageable chunks”. Instead ...
What do we want our students to be able to do in class? Maybe you think, like me, that it’s about understanding and communicating meanings. This involves listening to what other people say, responding appropriately, expressing ideas and opinions, asking questions and sustaining interaction at an appropriate level. Knowing grammar and vocabulary matters, but it is not the main goal. A student may know how to conjugate verbs or complete written exercises successfully yet still struggle to understand spoken French or take part in a simple conversation. Our lessons therefore need to do much more than teach students about French: they must give them regular experience of using French to communicate. The 50 lessons in my new book are founded on this communicative principle. They place speaking (with listening of course) at the centre of classroom activity and give students a reason to talk. The lessons may be about identifying information, playing a purposeful game, solving a problem o...