The procedures used in an ethnographic study of a classroom language learning community are described. The research was undertaken to gain insights into adult language learning taking place among students who were not foreign language majors in an elementary French class at Michigan Technological University during the 1986-87 academic year. The study examined a cross-section of classroom behavior and the context in which the behavior occurred, and documented learners' study strategies and perceptions of the course, institution, instructor, and themselves. The tools used were classic ethnographic data-collection measures, including daily classroom observation, interviews, and collection of all student work, course records, and other relevant documentation. The report outlines the theoretical framework of ethnographic research and the research design, including the research team's composition, observation procedures, interviews, documentation, and analysis. A 35-item bibliography, interview transcripts, and sample observation notes are appended. (MSE)