A study was conducted to describe the ability of students to handle the various systems of the English language (phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics) and to determine how these systems are being affected by the linguistic environments surrounding the students. The 210 student subjects were enrolled in seven of the schools of the Lake and Peninsula School District in Alaska and represented the three linguistic groups in the area: Alutiiq, Dena'ina, and Yup'ik. Data were collected using the Gilmore Oral Reading Test Forms C and D, student writing samples, and student oral speeches. The following types of errors were analyzed: substitutions, mispronunciations, words requiring hesitation, disregard of punctuation, insertions, repetitions, and omissions. Results of the analysis of the students' ability are presented separately for phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. Effects of the linguistic environments on the students' English ability are also discussed. Suggestions for improving students' chances of mastering the English language are offered for administrators, teachers, and parents. A brief evaluation is also presented of materials used in the schools. (SW)