Ben on his TPRS workshops:

"We learn L2 by practicing it, not by talking about it. Similarly, we make the best use of our workhop time by practicing TPRS, not by talking about it. I model various TPRS skills and then the teachers do them, over and over throughout the workshop. It resembles a yoga class in that way, where the learnings go into the body and not just the mind. Learnings need to be in the body in the field of teaching.

"I also focus less on stories and more on pre-story personalization skills, skills that can be used in even non-TPRS classrooms and that are used at the beginning of the academic year or in exploratory classes - skills that show teachers, simply put, how to reach kids in L2. Once these skills are learned, stories flow easily."

Learn the specific TPRS skills that Ben teaches in his workshops by clicking here. For a more lengthy explanation of each one, click here on the workshop handouts. If you are attending a workshop with Ben, please try to read as much of these two documents as possible before the workshop - it will help a lot!

To arrange a workshop, please contact benslavic@yahoo.com.

Upcoming workshops:

"Five Activities to Prepare Students for TPR Stories" full day at Denver Public Schools, Denver, CO, October 23, 2008

Recent workshops:

1. "How to Connect with Kids in the Foreign Language Classroom" full day at Westside Community Schools, Omaha, NE, August 5, 2008

2. "Four TPRS Skills " half day at Columbine High School, Littleton, CO.

3. "How to Connect with Kids in the Foreign Language Classroom" full day at Albany County School District #1, Laramie, WY, May 12, 2008.

4. "Demonstration of the Three Steps" of TPRS with Dale Crum at the Jefferson County School District, Golden, CO.

5. "Introduction to TPRS" half day at Columbine High School, Littleton, CO.

6. "Classroom Discipline through Personalization" for Denver area TPRS teachers at Summit Ridge Middle School in Littleton, CO. View the schedule or read the handouts.

7. "Demonstration of the Three Steps" of TPRS with Dale Crum at Denver University.

Spanish teacher Brian S. Macias, Pomona High School, Denver, reports:

"Hola! This is Brian, the "cheval" from yesterday's presentation. I just thought I would drop you a quick e-mail telling you how much I enjoyed your presentation. I have had some brief experience with TPRS, but what I saw yesterday was amazing.

"I threw out my plans for today with all my classes, and did something similar to what we did yesterday, gesturing with the words, with a little bit of acting out a story I had come up with this morning. The kids really enjoyed this lesson. I still remember some of the French that you taught us yesterday.

"Again, thank you for the presentation. It was really helpful! I am going to try extremely hard to incorporate more of the TPRS with my students! Have a nice day!"

Other teachers commented:

  • Thank you for making it so PRACTICAL…
  • Very dynamic way of teaching, very enjoyable and attention getter…
  • SIMPLE introduction to TPRS…
  • Very awesome! I hope to improve on TPRS…
  • The TPRS narrative was interesting and definitely worked…
  • We were able to understand, read, and retell a story after just thirty minutes…
  • It was fun to get to participate in the lesson…
  • Wonderful approach. Great presentation…
  • Repetition gets students repeating and its non threatening…
  • I love TPRS!..
  • Too Short!..
  • I wish I had more time! Very interesting…
  • Would like to learn more about how to create stories…
  • Loved it! I’ve been teaching for 15 years and I can’t wait to do a story tomorrow. I’m going home to plan tonight!..
  • Wow! I cant wait to learn and try more…
  • Can we have a full day training?..
  • Ben, Dale, don’t change a thing…
  • Very awesome! One of the best presentations on TPRS I have ever seen! Thank you!..
  • Great job! Thanks…
  • Impressive, had no idea that it would be that effective…
  • This was the best in-service that we’ve had…
  • Nice presentation – engaging with concrete strategies that I can take back…
  • I’d love to be in your classes…
  • Thank you – I am going to try…

Michelle Fisher, after spending a day in Ben's classroom, said:

"I just wanted to let you know how much more I am enjoying
teaching. All that other stuff was stressing me out, I think I am
getting back to the heart of it all. And on top of it, I am noticing how
brillant my students are."

Ben invites any teachers in the Denver area to visit his classroom at any time. Summit Ridge Middle School is at 11809 W. Coal Mine Avenue, on the corner of Simms Ave. and Coal Mine Ave. in Jefferson County in the southwest Denver area.

Directions: From C-470 take the Bowles Ave. exit. Go past the Super Walmart through two lights, a mile or so, to Simms Ave. Go right one block to Coal Mine. the school will be on your right before you get to the light, on the northwest corner.

benslavic.com
email: benslavic@yahoo.com
efax: 270.912.0526

© 2008 Ben Slavic. All rights reserved.
TPR Storytelling® is a trademark registered to Blaine Ray and is used with his permission.

Ben Slavic thanks:

Blaine Ray . Susan Gross . Alike in Holland . Joe Neilson . PUROARTE.COM . Thomas Young . Dale Crum . Piedad Gutierrez . Anne Lambert . Bryce Hedstrom . Amy Catania . Scott Benedict . Rick Winterstein . Karen Rowan . Duke Crawford . Mark Oleynick . Lynette Lang . Michael Wood . Pat Barrett