This textbook presents the essential structural features of Djerma as it is currently spoken in the western region of Niger. The course is organized into 30 units which constitute instructional material for from 300 to 400 hours of classroom instruction. It is specifically designed for intensive training programs of approximately 4 to 5 hours per day, or 30 hours per week, extending over a period of 10 to 12 weeks. Thirty tape recordings, containing the dialogues and drills of the 30 units, were developed to accompany the text. These should be used regularly by the student in a language laboratory or with a tape recorder for reinforcement of what has been learned in the classroom. In the ideal learning situation, the student will have access to: (1) a native speaker of Djerma who will act as a teacher and as a model of his language whom the student will imitate in intensive drill sessions; and (2) a linguistic scientist who will answer questions about the structure of the language. The course is, however, to a large degree self-instructional, and the student who lacks the opportunity for formal classroom instruction can make considerable progress by diligent use of text and tapes. (Author/CLK)