Contemporary views on modern foreign-language education reflect a focus on the acquisition of language for the purpose of communication, thus overshadowing the once popular traditional approach which emphasized knowledge about the language. Fundamentally, a living language, such as the modern foreign language, is perceived primarily as a means by which persons use the language to exchange ideas and feelings among themselves, thereby opening a gateway to opportunities and activities which otherwise would have remained closed. The growing importance of the foreign language as a means of communication can be linked to the shrinking of the globe through social, economic and political interactions which necessitate competence in more than one’s natural language.
Bilingualism and multilingualism are a characteristic feature of most of the countries in the world. In many places the ordinary person in the street commands several languages. In contrast, English-speaking countries, such as those of the Caribbean, have been struggling to find effective ways of achieving bilingualism among the school population. Success has been minimal and the drop-out disturbing.
The communication goal invites us to examine in our study the nature of language and how it is acquired in its natural setting, to find clues which may assist us in our re-conceptualization and re-formulation of foreign-language classroom teaching and learning. Foreign-language pedagogy is a very fertile field. It encourages the active contribution of the classroom teacher to its further development through the exploration of the literature, critical thinking, practice and reflection
