This textbook is about engaging students from fourth through eighth grade in literacy experiences. It is intended to help teachers of adolescents expand their knowledge of this age group and explore ways of engaging these students in meaningful literacy learning. Part One (chapters 1-4) provides selected theoretical foundations for developmental reading and writing, knowledge considered basic to classroom learning. These foundations are developed in depth in Part Two (chapters 5-12), emphasizing the reasoning processes teachers use to make informed decisions for instruction. Chapters in the book are: (1) Developing Competent Readers and Writers: An Introduction; (2) Growing toward Maturity as Readers; (3) Growing toward Maturity as Writers; (4) Growing toward Maturity in Word Knowledge; (5) Read-Aloud and Independent Reading: Supporting Continued Growth; (6) Introduction to Whole-Class Literature Study; (7) Moving toward Student-Led Literature Study: Book Clubs and Literature Circles; (8) Reader's Workshop: Individualizing Literature Study; (9) Writer's Workshop and Beyond: Learning To Write and Writing To Learn; (10) Word Study: Patterns for Word Recognition and Spelling; (11) Using a Basal Reading Series Effectively: Teaching from a Literature-Based Perspective; and (12) Teaching with Integrated Units: Balancing Information and Narrative Texts. Appendixes contain a whole-class literature study for Doris Buchanan Smith's "A Taste of Blackberries"; a list of sample study topics with suggested literature; and sample lists for word sorts. (RS)