This comprehensive book examines approaches to teaching students who aim to make the leap from `advanced` or `superior` proficiency in a foreign language to `near-native` ability. While there are copious publications on classroom techniques and methods for lower levels of instruction, virtually nothing exists about this transition, which is vital for those who intend to use foreign languages in high-level international arenas. This book, by leading practitioners in this area of foreign language teaching, aims to fill this gap and assist those developing language programmes at the `advanced to distinguished` level. * Divided into three parts which provide information on different aspects of teaching at this level - theory of advanced language teaching - nine sample programs - description of highly advanced learners based on long-term experience and empirical research * Presents programs in seven languages - Spanish, Arabic, Russian, Chinese, English , French and German * Content is both theoretical and pragmatic