Reviews a number of books for language arts methods course instructors that address a tension between their professional obligation to represent a broad range of theoretical issues current in the field and their students' urgent desire for practical skills and information that will help them get an English class up and running. (TB)

Reviews Sudia Paloma McCaleb's "Building Communities of Learners: A Collaboration among Teachers, Students, Families and Community," a recent book that talks about how literacy can be nurtured at home while parents and families can be brought into the schools. Compliments the book for its ability to connect complex ideas to the existing realities…