This book provides an overview of the diverse issues in applied linguistics today. Leading specialists consider the relation of their own areas of inquiry both to professional practice and to the discipline as a whole.

1. An applied linguist in principle and practice
2. Teacher professionalism and research
3. The applied linguist and the foreign language teacher: can they talk to each other?
4. Concept and conduct in language pedagogy
5. Appraising second language acquisition theory in relation to language pedagogy
6. Analysability, accessibility, and ability for use
7. Situational context, variation, and second language acquisition theory
8. Three functions of output in second language learning
9. Proficiency or the native speaker: what are we trying to achieve in ELT?
10. Grammar and lexis in communicative competence
etc.