ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at language-focused learning of vocabulary, grammar, and discourse with the aim of helping learners understand and produce spoken language. Language-focused learning involves giving attention to features of the language not just for a particular message that they convey, but for their spoken or written form, their general meaning, the patterns that they fit into, or their correct use. There is now considerable evidence to show that language-focused learning can help second language learning. Knowledge gained through deliberate learning should be enriched by opportunities to learn through meaning-focused input and meaning focused output. The expression "to lead someone down the garden path" means to deliberately trick someone. The main focus of teaching should be on strategy development. The direct teaching gets the point across quickly and allows more time for practice and meaning-focused use. The most important finding, however, is that language-focused learning has an important role to play in second language acquisition.
