THE AMBIGUITY AND AMBIVALENCE THAT CHARACTERIZE ALL DISCUSSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS PERTAINING TO LANGUAGE TEACHING METHODOLOGY ARE DERIVED FROM THE "DOUBLE NATURE" OF THE SUBJECT. TO COMPLICATE THE SITUATION FURTHER, THERE IS NO CERTAINTY THAT EITHER THE "CONDITIONED" OR "CONCEPTUAL" MODES OF LANGUAGE LEARNING REALLY COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER. THE DUAL NATURE OF LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION AND LANGUAGE LEARNING SUGGESTS RATHER THAT THE LANGUAGE TEACHER MUST LEARN TO COMPROMISE, TO MAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE DECISION, AND TO BALANCE OPPOSING POINTS OF VIEW IN A GIVEN SITUATION. DILEMMAS THAT WILL NOT DISAPPEAR ARE WHETHER TO (1) MEMORIZE DIALOGS AT THE EXPENSE OF LEARNING GRAMMAR RULES, (2) USE ENGLISH IN THE CLASS, (3) POSTPONE THE INTRODUCTION OF LITERATURE AND CULTURE TO THE HIGHER LEVELS, (4) TEACH ONLY AUDIOLINGUAL SKILLS AT THE BEGINNING LEVEL, (5) START LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION IN THE LOWER ELEMENTARY GRADES, AND (6) USE EXCLUSIVELY EITHER THE DIRECT OR INDIRECT METHODS. HOWEVER, WITH CONTINUED EXPERIENCE, RESEARCH, AND ANALYTIC UNDERSTANDING PROVIDED BY LINGUISTIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE, THERE IS THE HOPE THAT THE PROFESSION WILL BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ALTERNATIVES AND MAKE WISER DECISIONS. THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN "THE FLORIDA FL REPORTER," VOLUME 4, NUMBER 2, WINTER 1965-66, PAGES 11-12,14. (AB)