The membership of professional associations demands a more active role in promoting the foreign language discipline through improved teaching and through creating in more overt ways a positive public image. There has been a need to change attitudes toward language study within the educational community as well as within the general public. The goals, structure, and activities of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) are discussed. With the exception of ACTFL, none of the individual membership organizations provides a national perspective that encompasses all languages at all levels of education. The result is a duplication of activities, conflict between groups because of competition for members and simultaneous activities, and lack of professional control of teacher education and certification programs. The development and functions of the Joint National Committee for Languages and other efforts to unify the profession at the national level are discussed. (SW)