There should be no struggle in our work. It should be as effortless as normal conversation, which is such a natural thing and can be so fine when both parties agree not to try to overpower each other.
Nor should we struggle for the humor and laughter that everyone associates, mistakenly, with TPRS. As we strive for normal, effortless, natural and normal conversation with our students, there need be no more laughter than in a normal conversation that we would have with someone outside of class. The only thing that we have to do is deliver interesting and meaningful comprehensible input.
In natural conversation, there are pauses during which thinking occurs, unless one party is trying to overpower the other. We should not try to overpower our students with information. We see that in so many other classrooms. It is a certain thing that when teachers are beating their heads against the wall trying to instruct their kids in so many things from the pacing guide, they are not reaching their kids. It’s just a big joke, and it’s been going on for decades.
Reach your kids with comprehensible input that is natural, unforced, effortless, slow and relaxed. Bring them to you because you are so relaxed and calm and slow when you speak to them. Reach them that way. Because then they understand.