The adult students who are the subject of this report bring a different orientation with them to the study of language than does the typical adult immigrant or foreign student of English. This former group may be engaged in foreign language study in order to satisfy a college level language requirement or as part of a continuing education or personal improvement program. The paper, divided into three sections, discusses the characteristics and needs of these adults as well as the means available for their education. In discussing the physiological, psychological, and sociological characteristics of older learners, the paper reviews: (1) adult life-cycle tasks; (2) age and learning ability; (3) the role of visual and auditory impairment in learning; (4) information processing, problem solving, and the older learner; and (5) affective variables and the older learner. Discussed programs, methods, and techniques available to the teacher of older language learners include the audiolingual method, the cognitive method, the grammar/translation method, community language learning, suggestology, and the total physical response method. Also discussed are communicative competence, individualization of instruction, intensive instruction, means for maximizing the learning strengths of adult learners, and methods for improving classroom organization and material preparation. (JK)