The culture of the United States has been based on assimilation, in which new immigrants tend to put aside their past, including their linguistic past, and merge with the rest of society. As the United States economy becomes more intertwined with that of the rest of the world, these patterns are changing, and there is now a greater recognition of cultural heterogeneity. This recognition is in large measure bypassing Europe, the influence of whose languages in other parts of the world has also changed profoundly. How can the teacher of languages respond to this change? First, the teacher should show how language functions as a social institution. Second, the teacher must go beyond the high culture of the metropolis and give consideration to the linguistic diaspora--to the use of European languages also in the Third World. In this curricular reform, the teacher can work with colleagues in other fields individually or in groups, make changes in classroom materials, and learn from the experience of colleagues in other institutions. (Author)