David Wray is Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Exeter. Jane Medwell is Lecturer in Education at the College of St Mark and Sr John, Plymouth.

• chapter0001 Introduction; Part I Speaking and listening; chapter0002 Editors’ introduction; Chapter 1 The oral language of young children, Martin Hughes; Chapter 2 The dead spot in our struggle for meaning, Terry Phillips; Chapter 3 The assessment of oral language, Greg Brooks; Part II Reading; chapter0003 Editors’ introduction; Chapter 4 Reviewing the reading debate, David Wray; Chapter 5 Texts that teach, Colin Mills; Chapter 6 Information handling, David Wray; Chapter 7 The assessment of reading, Denis Vincent; Part III Writing; chapter0004 Editors’ introduction; Chapter 8 The writing process, Roger Beard; Chapter 9 Contexts for writing, Jane Medwell; Chapter 10 Word processors, redrafting and the niche of the laptop, Frank Potter; Chapter 11 Assessing developing writing and writers, Richard Fox; Part IV Other themes and issues; chapter0005 Editors’ introduction; Chapter 12 Media education, literacy and schooling, Frank Potter; Chapter 13 What is knowledge about language?, Margaret Wallen; Chapter 14 Children with literacy difficulties?, Bridie Raban, Ann Lewis; chapter0006 Conclusion;

David Wray is Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Exeter. Jane Medwell is Lecturer in Education at the College of St Mark and Sr John, Plymouth.

• chapter0001 Introduction; Part I Speaking and listening; chapter0002 Editors’ introduction; Chapter 1 The oral language of young children, Martin Hughes; Chapter 2 The dead spot in our struggle for meaning, Terry Phillips; Chapter 3 The assessment of oral language, Greg Brooks; Part II Reading; chapter0003 Editors’ introduction; Chapter 4 Reviewing the reading debate, David Wray; Chapter 5 Texts that teach, Colin Mills; Chapter 6 Information handling, David Wray; Chapter 7 The assessment of reading, Denis Vincent; Part III Writing; chapter0004 Editors’ introduction; Chapter 8 The writing process, Roger Beard; Chapter 9 Contexts for writing, Jane Medwell; Chapter 10 Word processors, redrafting and the niche of the laptop, Frank Potter; Chapter 11 Assessing developing writing and writers, Richard Fox; Part IV Other themes and issues; chapter0005 Editors’ introduction; Chapter 12 Media education, literacy and schooling, Frank Potter; Chapter 13 What is knowledge about language?, Margaret Wallen; Chapter 14 Children with literacy difficulties?, Bridie Raban, Ann Lewis; chapter0006 Conclusion;