TPR means Total Physical Response, it is a method for teaching foreign languages which was designed by James Asher. 

The core philosophy behind TPR is that the brain is programmed to learn languages a  certain way, the way babies learn their first language.  In a TPR class, a lot of effort is put in to recreating the environment in which a baby learns their first language. 

TPR is very interactive and allows for the hands-on learning which is so important for gifted students.  It is designed for right-brained instruction and allows for the creativity of our students.  Furthermore, gifted students are often able to learn the required material with far fewer repetitions than average students.  In TPR, there is always more material presented than what is being focused on at the moment, allowing for students who have already mastered the first level to begin learrning the grammar and supporting vocabulary.

There are some vocabulary lists, however, there won't be any English definitions on them.  Students may be asked to illustrate their lists, or in later classes, to write a definition in Spanish.

There is no English in class, including on vocabulary lists, because in the long run pegging a word to an English definition is a cumbersome task and impedes truly learning and being able to communicate in the target language. 

Learning vocabulary in this manner may take longer, because it is not a simple memorization activity.  This requires students to truly learn and acquire the words by interacting with them.  Students are able to respond immediately to a request, without taking the time to translate.