| Total Physical Response Storytelling (TPRS) is a Foreign Language Teaching method that has recently become popular in high schools and some universities in the United States. There are a number of practical descriptions of TPRS, and its proponents are using the internet to popularize it. Yet despite its popularity and claims of success, there has been little research to determine the theoretical legitimacy of TPRS. To explore this issue, I begin with a practical description of TPRS, continue by examining its suggested theoretical underpinnings in a critical light, and then propose and examine additional theoretical areas of importance. I end by evaluating my findings within the framework of the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century, discussing the potential benefits and drawbacks of TPRS. The theoretical research presented here is intended to suggest future areas of research and a more academic approach to the examination of TPRS. |
