Principles, objectives, and techniques that focus on the challenge to and the role of teacher and student in the Italian conversation course, with a view to greater efficacy, are presented. (AM)

Explores ways in which advanced conversation classrooms may provide the aural and written comprehensible input necessary for fostering the students' continued acquisition of the target language through examination of research and literature on: prelistening, decoding, intensive listening, comprehension, and skill application. (CB)