TPRStoryAsking

is it possible to improve names we call things? are there good reasons to think about doing it? what about the name TPR? TPRS? what do they mean? to whom?

according to Dr. James Asher, branding was a problem for TPR.. maybe it was an interesting method, but people didn't get the name.. "Total Physical Response"? huh?

branding may also be a problem for TPRS.. maybe to honor James Asher, "TPRS" used to stand for "Total Physical Response Storytelling".. ?maybe Dr. Asher gave his blessing toward the current definition: "TPRS" now stands for "Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling"..

huh? sorry.. this new definition, though clever, maybe fails to communicate the powerful ways and means the TPRS language method.. it sounds like its all about the teachers.. isn't the power of TPRS that TPRS is all about the students?

a simpler, learner-centric definition of TPRS might be helpful.. a suggestion for such might be:

• The
• Personalized
• Reading and
• Storyasking approach, method, way etc..

storyasking? storyASKing is the core practice in the current TPRS method.. is to "ask the story".. this involves students, so students care more.. personalization deepens this practice.. if it's all about the students, the students care even more..

TPRStoryasking might be a more descriptive moniker.. but would it sell the method any better to school admistrators? the storyasking part might raise administrative eyebrows.. but if administrators are interested in real results, then they'll be interested in storyasking..

more importantly, should such a great language method be described, branded and packaged only for school administrators? what if the method was packaged to include all language learners.. to include contexts inside and outside of school.. in environments kids really enjoy.. like maybe computer games.. or listening to popular songs.. or both?

further, what could be a simple, easy to describe, easy to translate, easy to remember name to extend TPRS methods from where it is now to universal use by people learning languages all over the world?

the big picture here is to better communicate, evolve and deploy this powerful tool for language learners.. a key problem to solve is: how to best name the tool for benefit to as many language learners as possible