Two aspects of a 9-month intensive course in Indonesian are outlined: the component introducing language use in Indonesian social situations, and the choice of instructional materials. The language of social situations is introduced systematically in a series of combinations of speaker, location, and topic, and includes a substantial segment on communicating emotions. The process of collecting and selecting classroom materials that were sociolinguistically sensitive for this component involved (1) defining the basic topics needed, (2) developing a descriptive matrix of 60 possible social situations, (3) eliciting and recording relevant coversations, (4) seeking the advice of native speakers to determine the conversations' appropriateness, and (5) transcribing them for class lessons. The materials were intended to illustrate stylistic variations in speech. Structured and informal practice were derived from the materials gathered. Problems experienced included initial resistance from staff and students to "common" language, and student interest in documentation of the variations being studied. (MSE)