EVEN MORE THAN A RATIONAL ANIMAL, MAN IS A SYMBOLIZING ANIMAL, CREATING HIS OWN CHANGING REPRESENTATIONS OF REALITY. INSTRUMENTAL TO THIS PROCESS IS LANGUAGE, FOR IT PROVIDES THE BEST MEANS FOR STRUCTURING BOTH PAST AND FUTURE EXPERIENCE. THE VERBALIZATION OF BOTH PERSONAL AND VICARIOUS EXPERIENCE MAKES US REEVALUATE AND RESTRUCTURE OUR REPRESENTATIONS OF REALITY. IF WE ARE TO EXPAND THE CHILD'S ABILITY TO DEVELOP COMPLEX AND EFFECTIVE REPRESENTATIONS OF REALITY, WE MUST, THEN, ENCOURAGE HIM MORE NOT ONLY TO WRITE EXPRESSIVELY, POETICALLY, AND LITERALLY, BUT ALSO TO TALK AND VERBALIZE IN THE CLASSROOM. THE VERY EXPERIENCE OF VERBALIZATION, COMBINED WITH ACTIVITY, IS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR THE CHILD, AND A WAY OF GAINING CONTROL OVER A LARGER AND LARGER FRAME OF REFERENCE AND OF DEVELOPING HIS POTENTIAL FOR AN EXPANSIVE, PERCEPTIVE, AND INTELLIGENT LIFE. (THIS ADDRESS WAS DELIVERED AT THE SECOND NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE U.S. OFFICE OF EDUCATION TRI-UNIVERSITY PROJECT IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 1-3, 1968, NEW ORLEANS, LA. IT IS FOLLOWED BY A DETAILED CRITIQUE BY WILLIAM IVERSON OF THE STANFORD SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, AND COMMENTS OF DISCUSSION-GROUP LEADERS.) (DL)