Recognizing that psychological and social changes of the late 1960's have a strong influence on current educational issues, the working committee reports of the 1970 Northeast Conference focus attention on the "new student" and foreign language instruction. Three major areas of study are: (1) the search for a relevant curriculum, including extensive discussion of a method to poll student opinion, (2) motivation in foreign-language learning, and (3) a reexamination of who should study foreign languages. Instructional, learner, and socio-cultural factors and motivation are explored. A speech entitled "The Rung and the Ladder", by Nelson Brooks, surveys attitudinal and curricular change during the last 20 years and directs attention to areas for further improvement. Selected bibliographies are included. (RL)