Language is the very concept with which the language teacher's whole career is
concerned. There is little doubt that the linguistic sciences have an essential role
to perform. Their place is behind the classroom teacher: in determining his
approach to language teaching. Linguistics provides important implications for
the preparation of syllabuses, teaching programmes, materials and methodology.
The language teacher cannot proceed without the linguistic sciences, but as I
have indicated, he must retain a critical stance at all times. Not all the answers
are likely to come from linguistic theory, however. Its contribution in terms of
second language acquisition, although useful, seems somewhat limited. Applied
linguistics is therefore in the process of extending its horizons, turning to
unfamiliar territory, such as cognitive psychology, for answers to problems which
teachers have to face.