Many adult learners, especially those with good metalinguistic knowledge of their own language, express a preference for structure-based approaches. The grammar translation approach is useful for the intensive study of grammar and vocabulary and is valuable for understanding important cultural texts. The audio-lingual approach with its emphasis on speaking and listening However, there is little classroom research to support such approaches for serve the needs of students who bring different levels of motivation and aptitude to the classroom. In fact, it was the frequent failure of traditional grammar translation and audio lingual methods to produce fluency and accuracy in second language learners that led to the development of more communicative approaches to teaching in the first place.
Supporters of communicative language teaching have argued that language is not learned by the gradual accumulation of one item after another. They suggest that errors are a natural and valuable part of the language learning process. Furthermore, they believe that the motivation of learners in often stifled by an insistence on correctness in the earliest stages of second language learning. These opponents of the ‘Get it right from the beginning’ proposal argue that it is better to encourage learners to develop ‘fluency’ before ‘accuracy’
Some researchers and educators have reacted to the version of communicative language teaching that advocates an exclusive focus on meaning. They argue that allowing learners too much ‘freedom’ without correction and explicit instruction will lead to early fossilization of errors. None the less, some findings from second language classroom research do permit us to assess the effect of instruction that is strongly oriented to the ‘Get it right from the beginning’ approach. include descriptive studies of the interlanguage development of second language learners in audiolingual programmes (Study 12), and comparisons of the development of second language proficiency between groups of students receiving different combinations of form-and MEANING-BASED INSTRUCTION (Study 13)