On Bandwagons, Tyranny, and Common Sense

My task here is rather straightforward: I will sketch a brief history of second language teaching, reminding you of the revolutions which have occurred in recent memory. I will then attempt to distinguish between a methodological trend and a bandwagon. I will argue, furthermore, that bandwagons exercise subtle control over our professional debates and practices, which control, at the risk of sounding melodramatic, I will call tyrannical. I will conclude by examining the possible functions of bandwagons in professional growth.