Students in an academically supported program of English as a second language (ESL) serving permanent residents and refugees at a large urban state university were surveyed concerning their language use patterns and educational needs for language instruction. The respondents were predominantly Southeast Asians representing siginificant minority populations in the surrounding community. Results revealed considerable prior classroom instruction in English but low use of the English language at home and work, relatively long residence in the United States but limited informal language contact in the community, and major problems with oral skills but greater concern over self-assessed lack of writing proficiency, a concern that was reflected in the ESL curriculum at the institution. It is concluded that the present program emphasis on formal conventions, particularly of written English, which neglects both expressive and receptive oral skills, does not adequately address this population's language needs, and that a program of English as a foreign language (EFL) would serve the students' needs better. (MSE)