A study investigated the characteristics of 14 second language institutes available to adults in Sana'a (Yemen), an area in which second language instruction has historically been difficult to obtain. Data were gathered through interviews and observation. It was found that seven of the institutions offer English instruction, and five offer Arabic instruction to expatriates. Four external governments (United Kingdom, United States, France, and Germany) and a number of private organizations, some established by former Peace Corps volunteers, offer instruction. Teacher qualifications, program design, evaluation, teacher pay, and tuition vary considerably across programs. Very few of the institutes prepare their own instructional materials; most used commercially published materials. Commonly-used Arabic materials are listed. Results indicate that program directors, teachers, and students concur on several language instruction issues: programs need to hire trained language teachers; in-service workshops on teaching techniques and curriculum development are needed; teachers should be paid for preparation time; and teachers should be able to observe colleagues teaching and to try new teaching techniques without fear for their jobs. All 14 institutes are listed, and addresses are provided for 11 of them. Contains 11 references. (MSE)