A discussion of the functional approach to second language teaching looks at its theoretical foundations and their relationship to communicative language instruction. It locates the origins of the functional approach in early twentieth-century British linguistics and the three key concepts of context of situation, language function, and meaning…

The history, development, and content of the notional-functional "threshold-level" (T-level) syllabus and the application of its principles in the preparation of new second language instructional materials are outlined. The context for development of the syllabus by the Council of Europe was based on the need for a uniform, sequenced program of…