Encouraging the appreciation and assessment of children's language and communication, from birth to the age of eight, is the focus of this volume. Following an introduction, chapter 2 elaborates on the interactionist framework, citing recent studies related to the acquisition of oral language and literacy, while the next two chapters describe communication in home and day care settings. Chapter 5 looks at the effect of situations on the kinds of language preschool children use; chapter 6 focuses on using language for a variety of purposes, such as asking questions, sharing experiences, and directing others' behavior; and chapter 7 discusses ways of assessing and fostering the ability of six- to eight-year olds to use language effectively in a variety of contexts. Chapter 8 presents a brief summary of procedures for assessing children's language, principles for fostering and assessing language, and the nature of language development in young children. Each chapter lists sources of related research, activities, or assessment methods. The volume concludes with a list of references, and author and subject indexes. (EL)