ABSTRACT
In recent months there have been exchanges on SLART, the computer bulletin board devoted to issues related to second language acquisition (SLA). 1 The discussion started with what might seem like an innocent question concerning in part the value of an academic course in second language acquisition as part of an ESL teacher's graduate training. The mere fact that such a question was posed was, in my view, surprising, since it is difficult for me to imagine how the value of such a course could be questioned. Similar surprise was expressed by one of the respondents to the Second Language Acquisition Research and Teaching (SLART) discussion: “… the idea of an MATESOL degree without a course in second language acquisition is akin to a Medical degree without a course (or two) in anatomy!! Inconceivable” (April 28, 1993). Or another: “What a question to have to ask! I would like to think that every program does” (April 28, 1993). Or: “Would anyone seriously argue that knowledge of U.S. history is ancillary to American history teacher education?” (April 28, 1993).
