As an outgrowth of their study of language theory and practice, English and elementary school teachers involved in in-service linguistic workshops are analyzing the verbal usage of a number of Toronto students to identify the language attitudes and characteristics of K-13 students and to become aware of language learning possibilities at grade levels other than their own. Audio tapes illustrating various kinds of language performance are being collected from selected students at each grade level. These tapes include individual responses made in a teacher-student interview session, informal conversation with peers, discussion with classmates on an assigned topic, and presentation of a narrative. Typescripts from the completed tapes often reveal new aspects in the student's language and perceptual development--the number of different words he uses and his attitudes and expanding interests. Findings obtained by this grass roots approach are intended to lay the groundwork for principles which might be refined later and pursued more scientifically. (CK)