Interest in elementary school foreign language programs has resurfaced in recent years, and the number of programs is increasing. Many states are requiring foreign language study at the elementary level. For a local school or community seeking to implement elementary school language programs, it is important that a rationale be developed to meet the needs and priorities of the area or institution. A rationale should address the benefits of language learning, the choice of languages to be taught, and the type of instruction to be used. A general rationale for teaching foreign languages in the elementary school includes: the advantages of a longer sequence of instruction in terms of higher achievement levels; development in children of a global attitude; enhancement of general cognitive skills; enhancement of communication skills; and personal and career benefits. Research reports and studies, state curriculum guides, and school curriculum guides can all provide useful information on developing a foreign language program rationale. The educational system should provide as expansive a curriculum as possible if education is to prepare children for the complicated world they live in and give them tools to understand new challenges. (MSE)