The loss of richness and multiplicity of word meaning can result in a decline in the metaphoric activity of the mind. A technologically-oriented civilization pressures students to devalue word connotation in favor of denotative exactitude. To counteract this tendency, teachers should adopt for themselves and instill in their students a regard for the multiple uses and meanings of language. By teaching a subject called "language-and-literature" and concentrating on the uses of language in literary works, teachers can develop students' language skills to permit the fullest self-expression. Poetry and prose-fantasy are useful subjects of study because the discovery of meaning depends on understanding metaphoric expression and the precise relationship of words. Particular activities for students to increase their comprehension and expressive ability are writing from the viewpoint of a particular author, writing prose paraphrases of a poem, analyzing the linguistic changes in variant versions of the same poem, studying symbols in fantasy, writing poems, and writing directions for particular tasks. [Not available in hard copy due to marginal legibility of original document] (LH)