Cross-cultural training for teachers of English to Navajo children is necessary because many concepts are not shared by both English and Navajo cultures. In addition, phonological, grammatical, and structural features constitute areas of wide divergence between the two languages. Similar letters and combinations of letters vary in placement and pronunciation. In the Navajo language, vowel length and nasal quality of vowels distinguish meaning, consonant clusters do not appear at the end of syllables, and the verb dominates to the extent that many English nouns when translated are verbal forms in Navajo. By distinguishing areas of sharp divergence between the two languages, a framework is presented for the development of materials, instructional techniques, and teacher training to specifically meet the needs of the Navajo student of English. (JEH)