ABSTRACT
Summary: The present and the immediate future offer an exciting challenge and a great chance to make rapid progress in the education of minorities. Throughout the world the rights and needs of minority groups in all spheres of life are increasingly being recognized, while in many countries greater sums of money are being devoted to educational research and development in this field. Examples of work in progress in basic research, theoretical study, curriculum development and the implementation of language policies are given to indicate the scope of current work. Aspects identified as likely to be of particular importance during the next ten years are the need for information and its dissemination, evaluation of outcomes, the preservation of mother tongues, the language medium of teaching and learning, the involvement of parents and the wider community, the apparent conflict between the demands of basic and applied research, and the necessity of avoiding the harmful effects of backlash. Cultural considerations are borne in mind and mentioned, but not treated in detail. The final emphasis is on learning from a variety of language communities which differ from one's own but which have features in common.
