with a conclusion that specifically address the question "At what age should second language instruction begin?" --a question that interests learners, parents, and teachers. One weak point in the chapter is the use of the term "communicative competence" without any explanation, definition, or reference in the chapter itself. There is a definition in the glossary at the end of the book; however, this definition does not refer to the literature on this term or note the controversy about its meaning and use. In the section on "Personality," the authors state, "Another explanation which has been offered for the mixed findings of personality studies is that personality variables may be a major factor only in the acquisition of 'communicative competence'" (p. 49). Given the amount of discussion of this term in the literature and among teachers, it would be appropriate to at least refer the reader to articles which discuss it