The teaching guide for Alberta's elementary school French immersion programs outlines an approach to articulating the program's notional content. It discusses the development of both receptive and productive language skills in this context. Introductory sections examine the principles underlying the skill development method, the aims behind the suggested types of instructional activities, the notion and development of linguistic competence, and issues in the development of oral communication skills. Subsequent sections address more specifically the development of reading, writing, and spelling skills. A final section proposes an instructional method for notional content, beginning by explaining the theoretical basis of the method and then discussing it in greater depth from the viewpoints of promoting receptive language (listening and reading comprehension) and productive language (speech and writing skills). A sample lesson is included for each of three program levels. Each section contains a bibliography. (MSE)