本书是专为外语教师及准教师编写的一部关于外语教学基本理论及实践方法的综合性指导书籍。
外语教学是一个包罗万象的领域。它不仅牵涉到对于语言属性、语言能力等语言学基本概念的界定，对于人类学习规律特别是外语学习过程的认识等心理学分支领域，而且还涉及到对于教育哲学及教学规律的理解。
从以上简单的分析我们可以清楚地看到，“语境”的概念对于外语教学的定位是何等重要。本书涵盖的内容也和其他同类书籍差不多：从语言能力的界定到外语学习的规律，从外语教学的原则和方法到四种基本技能的培养，从语言的文化背景到语言测试的设计，再到课堂教学的实施。这些话题都是外语教师们十分熟悉的。然而，正如它的标题——“在语境中教语言”明确提示的那样，书中探讨的是具体使用情境中的语言和语言教学的上述相关层面。换言之，“语境”是本书探讨问题的前提，也是贯穿全书的一条基本线索。这一特征又使得本书与其他同类书籍十分不同，它极大地提高了本书的实用价值，拉近了这部著作与一线外语教师间的距离。作者的独具匠心之处也在于此。

导读F7
Preface F16
Acknowledgments F21
1 0n Knowing a Language
Introduction
Defining Language Proficiency
Proficiency and Language Acquisition Theory
Some Research Findings about Oral Proficiency
Issues in Language Proficiency Assessment：Caveats，Clarifications，and New Directions
Defining the Content of Instruction：The Standards forFore~Language Learning
Summary：On Knowing a Language
Activities for Review and Discussion
References
2 0n Learning a Language
Introduction
Exploring Theories of Language Learning
The Role of Individual Learner Factors in Second—Language Learning
Relating Theory to Practice：Some Considerations
Summary：On Learning a Language
Activities for Review and Discussion
References
3 On Teaching a Language
0rienting Instruction toward Proficiency
The Proficiency Orientation of Existing Methodologies：A PreliminaryAppraisal
Three“Traditional”Methods
Reactions to Audiolingualism：Two Mentalist Perspectives
A Functional Approach：Communicative Language Teaching
Modem Adaptations of the Direct Method
Humanistic Approaches to Language Teaching
Summary：On Teaching a Language
Activities for Review and Discussion
References
4 The Role of Context in Comprehension and Learning
The Importance of Context and Background Knowledge in the Comprehension Process：Some TheoreticalConsiderations
Research on the Role of Context in Comprehension
The Role of Computers in Providing Richer Contexts for Language Learning
Integrating Language and Content：Immersion and Content-Based Instruction
Summary：The Role of Context in Comprehension and Learning
Activities for Review and Discussion
References
5 A Proficiency．Oriented Approach to Listening and Reading
A Rationale for Teaching Listening and Reading
Similarities in Listening and Reading
Differences between Spoken and Written Discourse
Integrating Listening，Reading，and the Productive Skills：The Vision of the StandardsforForeignLanguageLearning
Teaching Listening Comprehension
Sample Formats for Listening Comprehension
Teaching Reading Comprehension
Sample Formats for Reading Comprehension
Summary：A Proficiency．Oriented Approach to Listening and Reading
Activities for Review and Discussion
References
6 Developing Oral Prlficiency
7 Becoming Proficient in Writing
8 Teaching for Cultural Understanding
9 Classroom Testing
Epilogue Planning for the Proficiency-Oriented Classroom