The linguistic, communicative, and cultural value of teaching Esperanto is discussed. A major linguistic advantage is that Esperanto study provides an ideal introduction to the study of language. The European root stock provides an important resource for building vocabulary in English and in other European languages. Esperanto has a valuable and unusual literature, comprising both translations from national languages and original work. This provides a valuable tool to promote cultural awareness. There are increasing numbers of North American schools and colleges which offer Esperanto. In addition, a fairly wide selection of materials suitable for school and college Esperanto courses are available. (RW)