Praised for its fresh and informed discussion of language instruction and language acquisition, the first edition of was recognized by the Modern Language Association as one of the twenty most influential methods textbooks. The authors are both internationally recognized scholars in the field of second language acquisition research and have also written numerous successful language textbooks. The guiding principle of is the premise that communication is the expression, interpretation, and negotiation of meaning, and not simply oral expression. Following that framework, helps instructors develop communicative classroom environments that blend listening, speaking, reading, and writing.