Author Blaine Ray has come to Grayslake North many times over the recent years to train world language teachers TPRS, his own style of teaching language(s).
Blaine Ray and his family have started TPRS Books, a way to teach through reading and storytelling aloud, a method of teaching with interactive oral stories to the classroom. TPRS or “Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling,” is his company that involves training teachers to expand languages.
“I came to Grayslake North to use my teaching method with stories because that is my field,” author Blaine Ray said.
He developed TPRS in the late 1980s. Many teachers have helped contribute and progress it what it is today. His company goes out and recruits experienced TPRS teachers to train teachers.
“We are now writing more books with fewer words and trying to make it easier for students to read them,” Ray said.
Many of his books are read in Spanish classes regardless of level. Books such as Pobre Ana, Patricia va a California, Donde esta Eduardo, etc. fit the Spanish curriculum to help students gain knowledge with repetition and progression.
“His books teach the language in a natural way, limited vocabulary and grammar with repetition,” teacher Meg Lopez said.
Blaine Ray creates his novels to get students to comprehend what they are reading and gain more of the knowledge in a language they previously had either some or no experience in.