This article considers some of the implications of the position developed by Allwright and Long in their respective papers, both of which are found in this issue of "ELT Documents." Basically the position is that methodological emphasis should be placed on the second language learner rather than on the teacher. Teachers faced with large, not particularly motivated beginner classes, and lacking in expensive equipment, might question this position. A solution might be to discuss the nature of teacher intervention rather than its extent. The search for "real" language in the second language classroom is misplaced, but the teacher must ensure that practice in fluency is emphasized as much as accuracy. For this to take place, a considerable part of the responsibility for the content of language work must be placed on the pupil. This way the kind of work outlined by Allwright and Long will be possible at intermediate and advanced stages without a major break in learning style. This presupposes a number of techniques for use in the classroom which are not currently accepted. These include: (1) giving pupils the opportunity to make mistakes, (2) use of the mother tongue or a mixture of the mother tongue and the second language in the early stages, (3) giving pupils a moment to think about responses before giving them, and (4) practice of pupils' utterances in pairs where possible. (AM)