The audio-lingual method of foreign language instruction predominant in the United States emphasizes the lingual at the expense of the aural. Language acquisition is viewed as verbal behavior. Instead of a response-oriented learning approach, a stimulus-oriented one should be used, with listening as the focal skill from which speaking would naturally grow. Studies show that delaying oral response while providing prevocal aural training improves the proficiency of speaking once it is begun. The focus on speech in foreign language teaching has concentrated attention on dramatic behavior changes rather than on thinking and understanding. (EMH)