The syllabus for New York State's elementary and secondary education second language programs is intended to inform local school district personnel about important characteristics of successful programming and provide a framework for development, management, and implementation. It specifies educational goals and components of the intended learning outcomes in terms of the students' anticipated ability to communicate in the second language at three different points in the program. Contents include chapters on the philosophy behind the curriculum; the state's modern language education goals; the suggested framework for developing a communicative curriculum; general components of communicative proficiency; the topics, situations, language function, and proficiencies (listening, speaking, reading, writing, and cultural) that are seen as the components of communication; and a discussion of local and state program development, staff development, and instructional techniques. A sample lesson plan is appended. (MSE)