This curriculum guide discusses an English language arts and basic skills program for the elementary school grades. The program is designed to reflect the learner's point of view. The authors argue that education is not so much a matter of objectives or subject content as it is a matter of what happens to the student. Accordingly, this guide discusses teaching methods and activities that reflect what happens to students when they use language. The guide begins by discussing assumptions and expectations of the program. It then describes activities that reflect stages of a language cycle beginning when we become aware that a speaker or writer has said something to us. These stages, the major divisions of the guide, are identified as (1) "the way others say things are," (2) "the way I say things are," (3) "the way I say things might be," (4) "the way I say things should be," and (5) "the way I say I am." The guide also includes a discussion of basic skills for the writing program and supplementary material (teaching suggestions for "Magic Moments," notes on improvisation, creative writing--newspaper) that may be used with the guide. [See related documents CS 200 358, CS 200 359.] (Author/DI)