This course will (1) help students grasp the essential characteristics of children’s developing communicative competence at home and school; (2) demonstrate the variations in the level and profile of language development depending on home conditions; (3) enable understanding of the role language plays in school functioning and in learning; (4) enable analysis of educational discourse, whether from the oral conduct of classes, the printed school texts, or, student writings; and (5) familiarize students with the basic policies on language in education.