This new approach is understood as a serious attempt at revaluation for the individual teacher and the profession as it develops many of the fundamental principles advanced by proponents of Communicative Approaches. The most important difference is the increased understanding of the nature of lexis in naturally occurring language, and its potential contribution to language pedagogy. Language teaching claims to be a profession. According to Lewis, too few language teachers exhibit the kind of intellectual curiosity and readiness to change that is normally associated with professional status. Collocation is used as an organizing principle.
Successful language is a wider concept than accurate language.
In considering questions of such a practical nature, examples should be quite helpful. No better example exists than one where implementation efforts have been successful in changing the way students learn languages. Implementing the Lexical Approach in classes does not mean a radical upheaval, likely to upset colleagues, parents or learners. On the contrary, if introduced with thought and sensitivity, its introduction will be almost invisible, involving perhaps 20 or even 50 small changes in every lesson, each in itself unremarkable, but the cumulative effect will be more effective teaching and more efficient learning. This is exactly the primary concern of this book, based on the reactions of many teachers to the Lexical Approach, thus contributing to the continuing debate.