Recent developments and means to promote competence and flexibility in preservice training of foreign language teachers are examined. Five issues the profession faces in preparing qualified candidates are: redefining the role of foreign language teachers in general and of the generalist and specialist in particular; selecting the candidates; identifying preservice program content; developing procedures and programs to achieve commitment and competence, and expanding professional awareness and cooperation. Two movements influencing the nature of preservice programs are competency-based or performance-based teacher education and the humanizing movement. Multistep integrative teacher education programs include early field experiences, an extended stay in the target country, and a dual system of methods courses combining theoretical and experiential training. Focusing research efforts on what actually happens in the classroom is a basis for developing models for promoting student learning and designing strategies for teaching. The continuum concept of preservice and inservice training, demonstration techniques, microteaching, classroom interaction, student-centered classrooms, individualization, student teaching, videotaped instruction, teaching centers and specialized training for bilingual/bicultural education, elementary school instruction, urban teaching, and college teaching are discussed. (SW)