Large gaps exist in our knowledge of the process of communication, and the second language teaching profession should focus on closing the gaps in understanding that are significant for the second-language user. Major issues requiring further empirical or other investigation include: the current levels of communicative skills among second- and foreign-language learners, and ways of measuring them; determining interim communication skill levels for language learners; creating latent communicative competence in individuals; facilitating communicative behavior, for example by the acquisition of a much larger vocabulary than is now felt necesaary; the relative impact on the individual's communication skills of different communicative deficiencies; the choice of learning activities for developing desired communication skills; the advisability of teaching skills to bypass rather than overcome communicative deficiencies; the advisability of focusing students' attention on higher-level communication skills and giving less attention to lower-level skills; the need for training students in inferential skills; and implications for the role and professionalism of the teacher drawn from our understanding of the communication process. (MSE)