Total Physical Response (TPR) is a dynamic teaching approach where language is closely linked to movement and actions. With TPR, students are encouraged to respond to spoken language with physical actions, rather than being expected to speak immediately. By acting out what they hear, learners can connect meaning to language more naturally and with less pressure. This approach is especially effective for young learners and beginners, as it supports understanding before verbal production.
TPR is based on the way children naturally learn their first native language. As infants, we do not begin by speaking, instead we start by responding to gestures and actions such as waving goodbye, pointing, or reaching for objects. Parents and caregivers consistently pair these gestures with spoken language, which helps children understand meaning long before they use spoken words themselves. Over time, gestures turn into spoken responses. TPR aims to replicate this natural learning process in the classroom, allowing learners to build comprehension, confidence, and memory through movement and actions. This makes TPR one of the most effective teaching approaches for learning English. For more teaching approaches used by our Novakid teachers, see the top 10 new modern methods of teaching English.
At Novakid, our experienced teachers are trained in the use of TPR and it is integrated naturally into the classroom activities. Teachers constantly use gestures to supplement their verbal instructions, such as acting out the actions for “circle”, “draw”, “listen”, and “find”. Teachers also model actions for target language within the lesson, such as “jump”, “run”, or “swim”, and encourage students to model the actions as well. This physical involvement helps to keep the learners engaged within the lesson and supports communicative language teaching by linking meaning directly to the action.
In an online Novakid lesson, TPR teaching can be used in many practical and engaging ways to help support strategies for teaching English language learners. By combining spoken instruction with clear physical actions, teachers help learners understand meaning without relying solely on verbal explanation.
Some common TPR examples in the online classroom include:
These activities show how TPR teaching makes online lessons more dynamic, interactive and accessible, especially for young learners and beginners.
In an online learning environment, TPR teaching helps to bridge the gap between screen-based learning and real-world interaction. Novakid’s interactive platform encourages movement, imitation, and active participation, ensuring that lessons remain dynamic and engaging, as well as supporting long-term learning and retention.
Want to see TPR in action? Book a FREE trial lesson and experience how movement-based learning helps children learn to speak English with confidence.
Kawasaki, J. (2024) What is TPR for teaching English and how can I use it?, BridgeUniverse – TEFL Blog, News, Tips & Resources. Available at: https://bridge.edu/tefl/blog/what-is-tpr-for-teaching-english-and-how-can-i-use-it / (Accessed: 26 January 2026).
Rowland, M. (no date) Total physical response (TPR), The Teacher Toolkit. Available at: https://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/total-physical-response-tpr (Accessed: 26 January 2026).
Post-pandemic boom of online courses, including English courses for children, is a little confusing for parents. They are asking themselves: first of all, how do I choose a school that would be the best fit for my child, and second of all, will it be effective and not just entertaining?
Find out what goes into the cost of a Novakid English lesson for kids. See how prices are set, what affects the cost, and how Novakid gives great value with friendly teachers, fun lessons, and flexible plans.
It is believed that children learn foreign languages easier than adults. But how do they actually go through the process of acquiring a new language? And how does this process differ from adults?
When people hear “English for kids” they associate it with something entertaining: playing, singing, dancing. Of course, if you only sing and dance, you won’t learn much. But if you prepare special English lessons and use singing and dancing as a learning tool, then it’s a whole different story.
This article explains the process of language acquisition for children and describes every stage with tips for parents how they can support the development of their children.
The article briefly describes learning disabilities and mentions how to help children with LDs
We and our partners use cookies to improve your experience, personalize content and ads, and analyze traffic. By clicking 'Accept all', you agree to our use of cookies in accordance with the Cookie Policy.
You can personalize your choices by clicking on 'Cookie settings'.
We use four types of cookies on our website. You can learn more about cookies and how we use them here: Cookie Policy
Strictly necessary
Advertising
Analytics
Personalization
