Bunny Hop your students into knowing directions

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 We all know I am a HUGE fan of a TPR to help students remember things, feel less stress and enjoy class! This is an easy song to review directions, body parts and get kids moving!

The video below is less three minutes and goes over

1. Why I think this is great for ALL beginners (including adults)
2. An example of the dance with the adapted lyrics I tend to use
3. An example of the dance with the original lyrics

The lyrics essentially are, "Put your left foot forward. Put your right foot out. Do the bunny hop. Hop hop hop." I change them to, "First put out your right foot; then put out your left. Forwards and Backwards. Hop Hop Hop."

This version is great for ANY beginners! Adults will appreciate the classic and kids love the simplicity. The teenagers may be more interested in the hip hop version as hip hop may be a bit more their thing.

In review: If you think that your students need to learn/review words like: forward, backward, hop, left, right and foot. Then this is a simple activity. Also it is an easy activity to be combined with other bunny or spring activities:

• Sweet Little Bunny with a Fly Upon its Nose is a great song to review body parts, adjectives and animals.
• The five Easter Eggs fingerplay reviews emotions
• Teach occupations by dressing up a paper doll bunny and telling a story.

 Whether you use this on its own or with some other TPR activities I am sure your students will enjoy it!

Let us know what you thought! Tweet the writer at @ESLCarissa You can also keep track of this blog with Chris' twitter: @C_LaCross

You can read more from Carissa at http://eslcarissa.blogspot.mx/

Using your hands to gain attention (TPR)

Often in class, especially with younger students, there comes a time when you need to reign in attention.

There are a lot of different methods teachers employ.

When I was younger my third grade teacher said she had a magic word she would write on the board and by the time she finished everyone would be quiet. When the class got rowdy she turned and began writing in large letters MAGIC. Sure enough by the time she finished our class was always quiet.

Another teacher flicked the lights on and off until we were quiet.

My Korean co-teacher had some sort of clapping game.

My mother would do the chant, "One, two, three, eyes on me" and the students wouldn't respond, "One, Two eyes on you!"

I prefer a different method. I don't say anything. I just slowly start putting my hands on my head. Then my ears. Then my hips. Then one hand on my ear and the other on my shoulder. Slowly the students will one by one start copying me. Once I have a few, I'll start doing the "Open them, shut them" song without singing, just the hand motions. By the time I get the entire class doing it we will sing one round of the song and BAM everyone is ready to focus on the lesson again.

For those of you unfamiliar with the "open them shut them" song check it out here:


It has TONS of uses in an foreign language environment.

What's your favorite way to regain classroom control?

Workshops: Sept 7, 2012, TPR Workshop, Phoenix, AZ

For those interested in TPR, there is an upcoming workshop:

Reading Strategies Workshop - September 7, 2012 - Phoenix, AZ
This interactive workshop will bring reading in the FL classroom to life! Learn how to implement guided reading, how to keep the process fresh and how to turn any type of reading into a fun and successful educational experience! Discover how to use novels as a base for your curricula and how to use reader's theater to increase comprehension and engagement. Carol will share specific strategies to help make all types of text more comprehensible, more engaging, and more likely to result in language acquisition. Carol Gaab - Presenter

Brophy Preparatory High School, Phoenix, AZ

9:00 a.m. - 3:00p.m. Please bring a brown bag lunch.

$139 per person - Registration closes September 6th.

Register Now

News: TPRS webinars available

TPRstorytelling.com is offering several exciting webinars next week. For more information check their schedule and registration page:

TPRS webinars

News: TPR/S Conference in Cancun

Hello all, Chris here with some news on the upcoming TPR/S conference held in Cancun. For full conference information please visit:


TPR/S Conference

Japanese: TPR Game

ジャンケン(janken; rock, paper, scissors) is a popular game in Japan. It is played with your hands. Saying "paa" with an opened hand means paper, saying "guu" while making a fist means rock, and saying "choki" while putting 2 fingers out means scissor. There are many variations of janken, but let me introduce one of them today. Here is an example game of janken.

If you win, you can hit your opponent, and if you lose you can defend your self with a hat.

It is such a fun activity!

News: TPR Demonstrations Live

Hello all, Chris here. Time for some language teaching news. Many of you are likely to have some familiarity with Total Physical Response or TPR. Whether you are a long time practitioner of this method or completely new to it, take a look at the information below for a chance to participate in live demonstrations:

NEXT!   "Live" demonstrations in Arabic, Spanish and Japanese by Dr. James J. Asher Wounded Knee District School Manderson, South Dakota Monday, April 26, 2010 (a six hour TPR workshop Please contact Wendy McNaughton-Apple: wendyapple9@aol.com Phone: (605) 867 4379 Cell: (605) 407 3965 Fax: (605) 867 5156 NEW!   Dr. James J. Asher and Todd McKay will appear at a NSL/NL Conference in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada Friday May 14, 2010 To join us, please contact Jennifer Rissanen: jennifer_rissanen@lakeheadschools.ca (807) 768-7284 ext 4578 COMING THIS FALL!   MEA-MFT's 2010 Educators Conference Helena, Montana Friday, October 21, 2010 "Live" demonstration in Arabic, Spanish and Japanese by Dr. James J. Asher (a six hour TPR workshop) Please contact Mathew Lyng: mlyng@helena.k12.mt.us Phone: (406) 324 2543 Cell: (406) 437 1723 Sky Oaks Productions, Inc. P.O. Box 1102    Los Gatos, CA 95031 USA Phone: (408) 395-7600  Fax: (408) 395-8440 tprworld@aol.com