This book is designed specifically for preservice and inservice teachers who wish to improve their reading-language arts instruction. Topics discussed in the sixteen chapters are: the reading-language teacher's role in an age of change; a communication framework; dynamics of language; children's language development; reading-language programs; language as experience; increasing language control; classroom development; descriptions of nonstandard and second-language related dialects of inner-city children, with suggestions for developing appreciation of varied language forms; formulation of decoding and spelling based on recent linguistic and psychological knowledge; development of an innovative approach to comprehension and critical thinking instruction through comprehension levels, comprehension competencies, and questioning strategies; approaches to developing independent reading in the content areas; examination of children's literature, emphasizing the importance of literature and response; development of the concept of reading miscue analysis; classroom organizational plans; and the use of tutors, teaching assistants, and parents to individualize reading-language instruction. (WR)