The lexical approach to teaching Russian grammar is explained, an instructional sequence is outlined, and a classroom study testing the effectiveness of the approach is reported. The lexical approach draws on research on cognitive psychology, second language acquisition theory, and research on learner language. Its bases in research and its principles are reviewed, and a sample instructional sequence designed to balance lexicon and grammar in Russian instruction is presented. In it, grammar is treated as part of the properties of the lexical items in question, the operation and native-language translations in the learner's mind is accepted as a psychological reality of language processing, and the main operational unit in teaching and learning is a phrase rather than a sentence. The six-stage approach includes: selecting and organizing appropriate material; identifying potential problems the student might experience in dealing with a specific target-language word, in relation to his native language; explaining and modeling new patterns; helping students learn from examples; use of pre-production exercises; and student production. A classroom experiment with 34 college-level Russian students found the approach to be effective in developing students' accuracy and fluency in the use of new grammar items. Contains 63 references. (MSE)