Recent research findings that have potential application or are already contributing to the refinement of educational practice in bilingual education include developments in language research, teacher effectiveness research, and ethnography. In language research, these contributions include work on the need for and types of language proficiency, conditions for skill development, home language use, and other influential factors. Important research on teacher effectiveness has focused on successful teacher behaviors and strategies, learning time, and teacher use of cultural information. Ethnographic research has brought deliberate attention to the articulation of home and school culture, emphasizing both curriculum design suited to student development and abilities, and the mix of language of instruction with subject matter. And while the research relevant to bilingual education is broad and informative, bilingual educators have managed to incorporate a variety of approaches for use with diverse student populations, avoiding the rigid standardization that can make for curricular irrelevance. (MSE)