In this chapter we have described some of the ways in which different features of second language instruction can be described and examples of how classrooms differ in terms of their overall instructional focus and Provided examples of different ways in which classroom observation Has been carried out. We have included summaries of studies examining specific pedagogical features (i.e. corrective feedback and question type) as well as examining the broader social, cultural, and political context and its relationship to second or foreign language learning.