At a public hearing on language and literacy, held in Houston, Texas, April 16, 1982, testimony was presented on: (1) need for emphasis on language arts in elementary secondary schools and for students with bilingual capabilities; (2) benefits accruing to students and educational institutions through developmental education programs; (3) guiding principles, problems, solutions, essential program elements, and future needs related to instruction in foreign languages, English as a second language, and reading; (4) significance of language, particularly speech, as means for self-expression, thinking, and social interaction--with special emphasis on the communication demands of the next century; (5) concerns regarding general language skills, foreign language and bilingual education, and teacher preparation for these instructional areas; (6) recommendations on foreign language public policy, continuing education for second language teachers, and revisions in language curricula; (7) development of reading skills, particularly in terms of characteristics of effective reading instruction and exemplary reading; (8) present and past views on studies of English as a second language, bilingual education, and cultural pluralism; and (9) principles for achieving excellence in language learning, with emphasis on the development of effective oral communication skills. (JD)