Information on current trends and issues in English instruction, compiled by the directors of six National Council of Teachers of English commissions, is presented in this report, the fifth annual trends and issues report by the commissions. The commissions and their directors are as follows: (1) Commission on Language (James Stalker); (2) Commission on Literature (Gladys Veidemanis); (3) Commission on Reading (Connie Weaver); (4) Commission on Composition (Sharon Crowley); (5) Commission on Media (William Costanzo); and (6) Commission on Curriculum (Linda Shadiow). Some of the topics discussed in the report include teacher training programs, computer uses in education, the English only movement, the competency test movement, the cultural literacy movement, basal readers, censorship, the whole language movement, teacher assessment, the infusion of literary texts into composition classes, writing-across-the curriculum, journal writing, interactive distance learning, video technology, the role of media in education, and forces affecting current English curriculums. (ARH)