The teacher must recognize the legitimacy of the dialect speaker's language by insuring that beginning reading materials accurately reflect the language and experience of the child. Each child should dictate and then read his own language. (Author)

Sheding self-consciousness by donning another personality, and then hearing the approving laughter and applause of their classmates fills children with great excitement as well as a sense of wonder about what they have accomplished. (Author)

Discusses the use of invented spelling to help kindergarten students learn to spell. It provides a natural foundation for building spelling abilities by making students think about words and generate new knowledge. Activities are suggested and guidelines are presented for a developmentally sensitive spelling program. (SM)

Children improve little in writing as a result of prescribed exercises in language mechanics. Skills in the use of language mechanics can be acquired effectively when the application is made to personal experiences and authentic reasons for writing, that is, the language-experience approach. (Author)