The history of grammar instruction in second language education is traced, focusing on the evolution of grammar's role from a central place in instruction to its current peripheral, almost problematic role. The objective is to provide background information so that second language educators can redefine grammar's role in language instruction. The…

This paper describes and compares six models for teaching second languages developed and adopted since 1840 (grammar-translation, direct, structural, situational, audiolingual, and communicative methods), and proposes a seventh, the cognitive-linguistic method, incorporating Noam Chomsky's theory of learning. The model takes both extralinguistic…

This study of two student groups enrolled in secondary school foreign language programs evaluates comparative achievement covering a four-year sequence of study. The control group results, reflecting previous foreign language elementary school (FLES) instruction, provide strong contrasts favoring the continuation and further development of FLES…