The purposes of this study were to determine which dialect features associated with particular classes and ethnic groups are unacceptable by the dominant culture in an urban community (Fort Wayne, Indiana) and to suggest implications of the findings for teaching of English language arts and skills. Phonological and inflectional features in the speech of representative informants from three ethnic groups (Anglo, Black, and Latin American) and four social classes (upper middle class, lower middle class, working class, and lower class) were tape-recorded and analyzed. The second phase of the study identified the dialect features which function as social markers and which tend to limit the life possibilities of speakers who use them. The overall pattern of subjective responses indicated an awareness by all three ethnic groups of the value of standard forms. The study, it is held, basically showed that individuals who have not mastered certain standard pronunciation and grammatical conventions may remain seriously handicapped in their chances for socioeconomic and cultural advancement. Therefore, it is suggested that in the education of teachers for the disadvantaged greater emphasis should be given to nature of usage and study of social dialects, problems of motivating students to learn a second dialect, and the techniques of developing two dialectal skills. (RJ)