What these TPRS presenters and teachers say about Ben's training materials:

CARMEN ANDREWS-SÀNCHEZ says:

"Have you had any TPRS training before? Ben Slavic's books - TPRS in a Year! and PQA in a Wink! are FABULOUS guides for TPRS in the classroom."

JOE NEILSON says:

"I have been reading your two books, PQA in a Wink! and TPRS in a Year!, and I think that they are the best teacher resource we have for TPRS. Great job!"

ANN WARREN says:

"Ben - this teaching method is revolutionary and made so accessible in the steps you've outlined in your book! Whatever the effort required, TPRS in a Year! is too important a work not to be shared on a global scale. Thank you for allowing me to visit and observe the incredible at work in your classroom."

GIGI MACLEOD says:

"Ben, I continue to read your books every day, absorbing them. I continue to think they are absolutely the best resource out there for people who want to turn to TPRS. You cover everything - including every doubt, every reason people turn away from TPRS!"

ANNE LAMBERT says:

"Last year at Blaine's conference I had my copy of TPRS in a Year! with me and people were fighting to get a glimpse of it. I literally had people on a 60-minute rotation, they could have it for an hour and then they had to pass it on to the next person on the list."

"Both PQA in a Wink! and TPRS in a Year! have been indispensible to me as a first-year TPRS teacher. Ben goes through the steps of TPRS carefully with a lot of examples, love, and humor. "TPRS in a Year! is a real how-to manual, complete with a very detailed description of how he does a story. He identifies each skill, explains it, and tells why it's important.

AND, the big news is, Ben has a new book out! It's called PQA in a Wink! and it demystifies and expands on the PQA process. It's loaded with more of that great Ben Slavic humor and insight. I recommend both books to any TPRS teacher, new or experienced. Ben writes with enthusiasm and joy.

DALE CRUM says:

"Ben, you made her [an observing teacher] look through the telescope and she will never be the same. You are a star! Thank you."

JIM BAIRD says:

"Book received, it's a great read! I would recommend this book for all TPRS teachers, not just the newbies. I've been doing TPRS for three years and found lots of stuff I didn't know about (even after attending seven workshops). Hope you will advise me of any future publications."

SCOTT BENEDICT says:

"I bought both books at the conference and haven't been able to put them down. Every chance I get to read, I've been reading. I've been doing TPRS for 6 or so years now, but there's always something new to learn or a tweak or different way to do something. Also, TPRS in a Year! helped me to focus with my student teacher and improve my skills along the way.

"I've always been mediocre at PQA. Now, I can't wait to start school with your "getting to know the kids" activity. I think it's great! I used to begin my year with boring TPR, but now I plan to use [these PQA activities] to start things off.

"Thanks for writing two excellent books! I can't stop recommending them. I told Carmen that I think a better investment for new TPRS teachers is not Blaine's Green Bible, but Ben's Yellow and Pink Bibles.

DEB READ says:

"I got your book today and wow, I'm going to have a great time going through it! This is a VERY important resource for those of us doing TPRS! Are you going to have it at NTPRS next year? I think you should because it's kind of like spiral bound coaching."

DR. TREVOR VAN WYK says:

"The discussion on classroom discipline alone is worth the cost of the book!"

JULIE BAIRD says:

"Everyone knows the Green Bible (Fluency Through TPR-Storytelling) is the main book to have if you are a TPRSer. I'd like to add 2 more books to your list - TPRS in a Year! and PQA in a Wink!

"In TPRS in a Year! Ben breaks down the components of steps 1 and 2 into 49 different skills. He suggests mastering a skill before moving on to the next one. There are lots of examples to show you how it works.

"If you need help with PQA, then his PQA in a Wink! is for you. It goes into lots of details about how to do PQA and keep it going. Ben is also great at building relationships with kids. He does a lot of the relationship building through the PQA.

"If you are struggling with your stories or just need a refresher course, I highly recommend both of these books. I can't sing their praises enough."

DONATIENNE DOUGHERTY says:

"Your ideas have been so successful that all the students are competing for cute answers in my classes like never before, surprising me every day at how easy it is. It's very exciting.... what is it exactly? Maybe the trust that was established during the first month of talking about them. Whatever it is, a certain ingredient is in there now that wasn't before. I attribute it to the personalization you coached me on. "

NANCY NELSON says:

"I have been pouring over your book TPRS in a Year! I am so glad that you let us climb into your mind and see where it actually wanders during class. It encourages me. Plus, I think I'll be best at, or at least most at ease with, PQA and asking questions of the students now, as well…"

RICK WINTERSTEIN says:

"I'd like to second Anne's recommendation and encourage everyone to give both of Ben's books your consideration. My copies just arrived yesterday and I'm enjoying the little epiphanies and eurekas coming as I give them a first reading. As someone learning and playing with TPRS for the first time this year, I find it so helpful to see examples and explanations of each of the techniques that go into a successful TPRS lesson!"

FERN WEIS says:

"I had the privilege of a sneak peek at Ben Slavic's new, soon-to-be published book, PQA in a Wink! "I think it is what we new, inexperienced and struggling teachers have been waiting for. Many of you have seen Ben's posts over the past few months about personalizing and building rapport with the students. This book is the full version, spelled out clearly (for those of us who are on overload!).

"What I took away from it is that while the theory and method of TPRS are important, making connections with the students is the key, and Ben shows you how to do it. Many people have tried to explain it on the list, and have done so beautifully; however, this in-depth explanation finally reached me. It provides a framework to help make PQA work. "Ben, I'm sure you will let us know when it is available. Thank you for this wonderful and inspiring guide."

LINDSEY SPOOR says:

"I bought your books on TPRS and PQA at the conference in Denver, and I am writing to tell you that you have done some great work here. I love these books."

"They are simple to follow and to read, and the examples given are very easy to understand. And, especially, thanks for having thought of making some room in the book for reflection about each skill. "I feel a lot calmer and ready to start the year in a new school. Congratulations on the success of your books in the TPRS community!”

TINA BEARD says:

"I third the praises for Ben's books. Of course I have had a problem PQAing and I decided to make that my goal for improvement and both books have been a tremendous help! Thanks Ben."

KRISS LANGE says:

"I never thought about how language teaching could be an art form before reading your book."

DORI VITTLETOE says:

"I had the GREAT privilege of watching Ben teach a few weeks ago--he
is as amazing as his posts! He really worked with me and coached me
as I try to refine my TPRS technique. If you live in the Denver area,
observing Ben is so helpful!

"However, if you don't live in Denver and can't get to him, his books
are equally amazing. I saw so many of his TPRS in a Year! techniques
in his classroom. I find that if I read a little of TPRS in a Year!
the night before, I am much more likely to do a real TPRS story with
the appropriate rules (2 English words max...) and my classes (even
7th grade beginners) are truly immersion "light" (phrase stolen from
Jason Fritze?).

"Anyway, if you need a shot in the arm to get through the last few
weeks of school, buy Ben's book or visit his website (he has some
great ideas coming up!) It has truly made me a better TPRS teacher."

TED VIVA says:

"I just wanted to let you know that I recently ordered your books and received them yesterday. I am currently reading TPRS in a Year and it is incredible. I am going to be mentoring a new teacher next year who has never taught a lesson in her life, let alone TPRS, and I really think I am going to use your book to focus us both on "the skills". So, point of this message, thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and experiences."

LAIS EDDINGS says:

“I read both your books and all I can say is WOW! Thank you so much for writing them! They have helped me open up my mind and understanding. I have tried using TPRS for two years and I have also attended three TPRS workshops, which were wonderful, but they went by so fast that I wasn’t able to keep up. With your books I was able to take my time and reflect on what you were saying and tie in with what I was doing correctly and where I needed to improve."

KARINA BLOSE says:

"Hi Ben, I’m just starting to read your blog. I got discouraged a little with the storytelling and was pulling back on it a little, when I read your two books about PQA and TPRS in a year. It motivated me to get back into it again.

"I had been doing main stories, but had given up due to my resistance to circling. I thought it was soooo boring. But I tried yesterday and did everything you said and had a lot of success!

"You broke it down very nicely in your book and made it seem manageable. Well, I’ll go back and read your other entries and see what you have to say. You’re doing a really good job, Ben."

KAREN ROWAN says:

"I heard Ben Slavic’s Bucky Goes to Paris! today and now I GET it. This is totally comprehensible and I can do it on my own. It’s perfect. I’m really impressed. Anyone else yearning to learn French? Ask Ben about it. I’m still on the first CD and I‘m already convinced."

ANET PAULINA says:

"I just wanted to drop you a line to say that I'm really enjoying the Bucky program. I’ve been listening to the CDs over and over and haven’t gotten tired of them. I'm just starting the fifth CD, and I listen to the program every day on my commute. My pronunciation and retention have improved immensely, and the grammar section is excellent, so much clearer than in books! Thank you so much for developing this program!"

PATRICK DANIEL says:

"M. Slavic – It’s Patrick. Congratulations! You have managed to teach someone to speak and understand practical, functioning, everyday French in about 14 hours. Amazing. I managed to get a hotel room in the Latin Quarter where the elderly concierge didn’t speak a word of English. The ultimate compliment I got in Paris was that the waiters spoke to me only in French, even though they knew English perfectly well. I watched other Americans struggling just to order a coffee."

MERRITT BIGELOW says:

"Bucky is better than Pimsleur and Rosetta. Period."

CLAUDIA DE ALBALADEJO says:

"Being new to this, sometimes I feel drowned by so many new ideas. But sharing your thoughts about teacher expectations and students' feelings has provided great input that has lead me to do my own introspection as a teacher."

VERNON LEE (Japan) reports:

"I have thoroughly devoured your much needed roadmap (both books) for TPRS. More importantly I have put your suggestions to work! Of course I wanted to test the waters as I go with my students. All of my fears melted away after the first run through. I have a group of 5 girls 7-12 age and a private 7 year old. I wrote my own local version story of society around here along with illustrations. I got data from the students and put that personal data right into the stories. They lit up! It was wonderful being in the zone. Time passed with a lot of acquisition and personalization. The personal data along with your teaching techniques have cemented our relationships in the classes. Your books got me there right out of the gate! Amazing!

"I started a new business group of mixed levels with two classes
average 7 people per class age 23-45 employees. I went slowly! I followed your skills as outlined! It was a great success. I taught the
president of the company with the TPRS and he wanted me to do the same
for all of his employees!"

 

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