WRITTEN AT UNESCO'S REQUEST, THIS DISCUSSION GUIDE CONSIDERS WHETHER OR NOT THE NATIONAL INTEREST WOULD BE SERVED BY INCREASING THE STUDY OF MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES IN THE UNITED STATES AND, IF SO, WHICH SEQUENCE OF STUDY OF WHAT LANGUAGES WOULD BE MOST BENEFICIAL FOR BOTH THE NATION AND THE INDIVIDUAL LEARNERS. FOLLOWING SOME BRIEF INTRODUCTORY REMARKS AND A SUGGESTED DISCUSSION OUTLINE, THE PAPER COMMENTS, IN PART ONE, ON SUCH ASPECTS OF THE CURRENT SITUATION AS (1) THE NATIONAL DEFENSE EDUCATION ACT, (2) FLES, (3) THE SITUATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, AND GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS, (4) TEACHER TRAINING, (5) TECHNOLOGICAL INSTRUCTIONAL INNOVATIONS, (6) LINGUISTIC SCIENCE, (7) ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, AND (8) LANGUAGE AND AREA STUDIES. INCLUDED IN PART TWO ARE SECTIONS PERTAINING TO THE PRE- AND POST-WORLD WAR TWO STATUS OF MODERN LANGUAGE STUDY BOTH IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD. PART THREE DESCRIBES THE FUTURE NEEDS FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGES IN INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING, THE ARMED FORCES, GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS, AMERICAN SOCIETY, AND THE INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE OF PERSONS. PART FOUR CLARIFIES SOME CONFUSIONS AND MISCONCEPTIONS INVOLVED IN MOST OF THE CURRENT AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF MODERN LANGUAGE STUDY, AND PART FIVE OUTLINES QUESTIONS THAT WILL NEED TO BE ANSWERED IN THE FUTURE. IN A CONCLUDING PORTION, PREDICTIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF LANGUAGE STUDY ARE MADE. OUTLINED IN THE APPENDIX ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS OF MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES. THIS DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE FOR $1.00 FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D.C., 20025. (AB)