ABSTRACT
Over the last ten to fifteen years, the language teaching profession has been provided with a wealth of new information on language and language use from several areas of linguistic and language-related research. As is usual, the problem for designers and providers of language instruction has been to determine how to assimilate, evaluate, and apply this new knowledge. The process of application really involves two questions: the effect of research on what aspects of language behavior we choose to teach and the effect of research on how we teach. Much recent work has focused on the former question, especially the work done for the European Unit/ Credit system
(van Ek 1975) and much of the work done in Britain on communicative language teaching. Methodological questions have been addressed in the work of Curran (1968, 1972, 1976, 1978), Gattegno (1972, 1976), Lozanov (1979), Asher (1977), Winitz and Reeds (1973), and Terrell (1977, 1982). None of these, however, has attempted to draw systematically on the results of broad-based research in developing their methodologies. Stevick (1976, 1980, 1982) has done so in a personal and practical way, but his recommendations are often more eclectic than systematic. Krashen (1981, 1982) has begun to address questions of methodology and approach, but his view is tied quite closely to the model of second language acquisition which he has developed.
