Reflecting a constructivist approach to teaching and learning, this book presents the content of the language arts curriculum and the most effective strategies for teaching this content. The processes of reading and writing provide the foundation for the three instructional approaches presented in the book: literature focus units, reading and writing workshops, and theme cycles. New to this edition are: a quilting motif as a way of looking at the six language arts (listening, talking, reading, writing, viewing, and visually representing); addition of the concept of visual literacy; a greater emphasis on strategies and skills, the role of reading processes, and the reasons behind teaching strategies; and a new chapter on "putting it all together." Chapters in the book are: (1) Learning and the Language Arts; (2) Teaching Language Arts; (3) The Reading and Writing Processes; (4) Emergent Literacy; (5) Looking Closely at Words; (6) Writing in Journals; (7) Listening To Learn; (8) Sustaining Talk in the Classroom; (9) Reading and Writing Stories; (10) Reading and Writing Information; (11) Reading and Writing Poetry; (12) Language Tools: Spelling, Handwriting, and Grammar; and (13) Putting It All Together. Contains approximately 800 references. Appendixes contain a list of award-winning books, and resources about authors and illustrators. (RS)