A consensus has emerged on many issues in communicative language teaching, but one question that needs attention is the question of what ought to constitute the appropriate starting point in the design and implementation of a second language program. Two positions to consider are the following: first, the development of communicative methodology, and second, the notion that a syllabus should be mapped out, taking into account sociocultural as well as linguistic factors. The first of these includes frameworks which are process oriented and in which methodology is the primary interest; the need for an organizing frame of reference is of secondary importance. The contributions of this approach are in the area of methodology and general classroom principles that govern student interaction. As for the second position, a communicative syllabus design would be regarded as an instrument to be used to coordinate all aspects of language teaching and learning, not to regiment them. In designing communicative syllabi, planners would work on the specifications based on the components of the actual teaching-learning situation, and then choose a communicative syllabus type and prepare appropriate program handbooks. Each of these phases involves following a variety of models and approaches. (AMH)