This paper reports the attempt to see which characteristics of the speech of Black and Mexican American children would be reliably evaluated by experts specializing in dialect study. Presumably, if selected characteristics were evaluated with consistency and bases for these evaluations were given, such results could serve in training teachers to recognize and deal with language difference in minority group children. Evaluations for both language groups were in terms of judgments concerning language dominance and Standard American English comprehension, production, phonology, intonation, inflection, syntax, possible language pathologies, and predictions of reading achievement. In addition, the Mexican American children were evaluated on Spanish comprehension, production, phonology, intonation, and syntax. Reliability estimates are provided for each of the aspects of the investigation. (Author/VM)