The Secret Life of Methods

Abstract

This paper addresses two questions: (1) How do Methods of language teaching differ from one another? (2) What factors are responsible for the spread of Nethods? I hope to demonstrate that while fundamental differences between methods often relate to different views of the nature of language, or to different instructional theories, the reasons for the rise and fall of Methods are often independent of either of these factors. To understand the role of language theory, instructional theory and implementation factors in Methods, is to know their Secret Life