The essays collected here span 20 years of Courtney Cazden's research on written language and its acquisition. Dr Cazden re-unites language arts that have become divided by conflicts between advocates of whole language and advocates of more direct instruction. She explains her commitment to the fundamental principles of whole languages, while also examining its practical limitations for many learners. While Dr Cazden would in no way advocate a return to back-to-basics fragmentation of language, she concludes that simple immersion in a rich literacy environment is not enough. Two major themes govern the book: as people learn to read and write, they need deliberate help to focus on specific features of written language and attend to parts as well as wholes; and because a multiplicity of literacies exist within and among cultures, learners also need help in understanding cultural and situational contexts of written language forms.