Illustrates how tasks can be used systematically as context for developing learners' knowledge about language, skill in using language, and teachers' ability to teach. Outlines role for tasks in language learning, identifies limitation in previous studies of tasks to promote learning, and suggests need for tasks to lead learners to integrate…

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages' guidelines for foreign language teaching and learning focus on the linear acquisition of grammatical structures, but this proficiency will not automatically lead to interactional competence. Enthusiasm generated by the proficiency movement should be redirected toward a push for…