The first part, focused on the principles on which current methods and materials are based, explores such topics as educational frameworks: the communicative approach; post-communicative trends in syllabus and materials design and the evaluation and adaptation of materials.

Part Two relates these principles to individual language skills. It shows how theories concerned with the development of reading, speaking, listening and writing have affected the design and use of teaching materials. The final part of the book examines different methods available to teachers for organizing and managing the ELT classroom, discussing group and pair work; individualization; classroom observation and the teacher's role in the contemporary ELT context.