About and for teachers, this book examines children's language acquisition from the time they are born throughout the years of schooling. It tracks first and second language acquisition from birth through the school years using the experiences of a number of different children to exemplify stages and sequences of development. Chapters in the book are: (1) "Why Is Language Special?"; (2) "Linguists and Language"; (3) "Learning One Language"; (4) "Learning Two or More Languages"; (5) "Stories of Second Language Learners"; (6) "Theoretical Perspectives on Language Acquisition"; (7) "Michael's Miracle"; (8) "Language and Society of Home and School"; (9) "Language and Cognitive Growth"; (10) "Schooling and Language Growth"; (11) "Language, Technology and Schooling in the 21st Century"; and (12) "Language and Learning: Reconciling the Home and School Years." Contains over 600 references. (RS)