The attention brought by Marshall McLuhan to our environment is perhaps his most general contribution to the language teacher. McLuhan often supports specific innovations in language instruction, including: (1) the emphasis on the spoken and heard aspects of a language; (2) the need for active student participation in learning; and (3) electronic aids in teaching. Media such as television and films have not been made to deliver their potential as educational aids, but others, such as the radio, tape recorder, and record player, have. Although the presence of some instructional aids may be commonplace in today's classroom, what is not commonplace yet is the ability to use the new media effectively. Teachers of second languages and cultures should use the power of electronic media to their advantage. (AM)