The unique focus of this text integrates constructivist learning, diversity, and instruction-based assessment, and helps translate principles into practice.

The central, underlying thesis of Teaching Language and Literacy is that children are at the center of all good language and literacy teaching. The text, with broad coverage of preschool through the elementary grades, advocates an appreciation of student diversity and an implementation of assessment strategies relating to specific learning/teaching events.

The text describes how children construct their own knowledge about oral and written language by engaging in integrated, meaningful, and functional activities with other people in a variety of contexts. It then goes one step further, describing how teachers can design authentic classroom reasons for using oral and written language.

In keeping with the text's theme, illustrations of how teachers can work effectively with diverse learners appear throughout the text. In addition, instructionally-linked assessment is another important topic central to the text.