Based on the premise that elementary students must be engaged in frequent reading, writing, and speaking throughout all areas of an integrated curriculum, this book is intended for a first course in language arts for preservice teachers. The book can also be used for courses in which reading and language arts theory and methods are combined. The book includes a number of features to help students: focusing questions at the beginning of each chapter address major concepts that students should acquire; classroom examples illustrate teaching in action; annotated bibliographies appear directly within chapters and list children's literature and professional resources; and "expand your teaching repertoire" lists provide in-depth walk-throughs of instructional strategies and activities. Chapters in the book are: (1) The Language Arts: Content and Context; (2) Thought and Language; (3) Our Language Heritage; (4) Classroom Organization and Management; (5) The Teaching of Listening, Speaking, and Creative Dramatics; (6) The Processes and Development of Reading and Writing; (7) The Teaching of Writing; (8) The Teaching of Reading; (9) Responding to Literature through Reading and Writing; (10) The Teaching of Vocabulary and Spelling; (11) The Teaching of Grammar and Handwriting; (12) Assessment and Evaluation of Students' Instructional Needs; and (13) Diversity in the Language Arts Classroom. Appendixes include a list of frequently occurring affixes and word stems; scopes and sequences for grammatical elements, elements of usage, and mechanics; and a list of recommended computer software for the language arts. (RS)