The architecture of the bilingual method is best understood as a traditional three-phase structure of presentation – practice – production. A lesson cycle starts out with the reproduction of a dialogue, moves on to the oral variation and recombination of the dialogue sentences, and ends up with an extended application stage reserved for message-oriented communication.[1] The method is listed in Eppert’s Lexikon (1973: 171) under the headword Konversation, where its eight teaching steps are described [2] "The eight steps lead from imitation to free conversation," i.e. unlike the grammar-translation method, but like the direct method and the audio-lingual method it focuses on the development of oral skills.[3]