Methods in Second Language Research

One of the things methods in second language (SL) research and teaching have in common is that they are elusive to the question, “What is best?” The best teaching method is the one that produces the best learning outcomes, and the best research, the one that is most capable of fulfilling a given research purpose. In both cases, the reply to the optimal method question thus depends on the specific teaching/research goal and a range of contextual factors.