The problem of teaching standard English reading and language skills to children who speak nonstandard dialects can be facilitated through a language program that distinguishes between "everyday talk" and "school talk," while recognizing the position of both types of speech. The instructional materials must be meaningful with respect to the experiential background of the learner. At no time during the learning situation should the child be given the impression that his basic, established speech patterns are inferior speech. In this particular language program, verb usage constitutes the area of distinction between the two types of language, and the instructional procedures and practices described here emphasizes those differences. Research indicates that if the children's established speech forms are accepted as legitimate forms of communication while those speech forms used in school by the teacher and observed in the books are systematically introduced, the children readily accept and enjoy learning the speech forms traditionally fostered by the school. For related document, see FL 002 947. (Author/VM)