Research and theory in bilingual education are reviewed for implications for Puerto Rican education. The review found that the following factors influence language and language learning: cognitive development, the capacity to discriminate and comprehend the speech of others, and the ability to produce speech sounds and sequences of speech sounds that conform to the patterns of adult speech. Two factors that underlie the development of skill in learning a foreign language are intellectual capacity and appropriate attitude toward the other language group, coupled with a determined motivation to learn the foreign language. However, students with low aptitude can learn a language if attitude and motivation are strong. Attitude, motivation, and orientation contribute to the rapid acquisition of listening and speaking skills. These factors affect both the learner's perseverance in language study and the learner's reactions to contact with a foreign culture. (MB)