This foundations book takes an integrative approach to how children learn language, how it is taught, and how the two are sometimes at odds. It tracks language acquisition from birth through the school years, using experiences of a number of different children to exemplify stages and sequences of development. Based on the belief that there are more similarities than differences between first and second language acquisition, there is some separation, but largely description and discussion are integrated. The book gives balanced treatment to theory and practice, to first and second language acquisition, and to showing and telling.