The ideas of John Dewey and his fellow progressives have resurfaced in a movement called "writing across the curriculum." Interdisciplinary studies are now being seen as a way to break down the artificial boundaries between subject areas. Research has confirmed that language learning and experience are at the heart of education. The implications are that instruction should be based on the personal and linguistic growth of the child rather than on the mastery of facts or concepts in particular disciplines, and subject areas should be used to provide students with the new experiences they need to broaden their knowledge. Researchers and educators propose a teaching philosophy and approach based on the concept of "learning by doing," which would mean much more talking, writing, and reading in the classroom. A number of ways for teachers to promote more language activities to help students learn include (1) organizing course content around central ideas or themes to give language assignments direction, focus, and purpose; (2) using the writing process to give teachers a more active role in their students' learning; and (3) utilizing journals, reading notes, or learning logs to provide students with the opportunity to describe and explore their own experiences. Teachers can use these and other ideas to integrate new techniques and current information into their teaching methods. (One hundred and eighty-six references are appended. (MS)