Teachers of Arabic, German, Japanese, and Korean at the Defense Language Institute describe classroom activities that have proven effective in preparing their adult, military language students for contact with another culture. Cultural awareness and understanding of the culture's sociolinguistic features are emphasized because of their importance in communication with natives and in determining the student's reception in a foreign country. An American living in an Arab, Japanese, or Korean culture must be familiar with the behavior unique to the country in order to survive. When cultural differences are less obvious, as in German culture, factors affecting communication may be quite subtle but are equally important. Idioms (including proverbs and other sayings) and gestures are highlighted because of their usefulness to individuals with a limited command of the language. (MSE)