IT IS URGED THAT THE TEACHER BE FAMILIAR WITH THE LANGUAGE PATTERNS OF HIS PUPILS. A CASE IS CITED IN WHICH A TEACHER ATTEMPTED TO TEACH ROMANTIC POETRY TO A CLASS OF TEENAGERS. THEY RESPONDED WITH BOREDOM. A POEM BY LANGSTON HUGHES ENTITLED, "MOTTO," EXPRESSED IN "JIVE" LANGUAGE WAS INTRODUCED TO THE SAME CLASS AND IMMEDIATELY CAPTURED THE STUDENTS' INTEREST. MAKING USE OF THE STUDENTS' JARGON STIMULATED INTEREST IN POETRY. THE AUTHOR RECOMMENDS THAT THE TEACHER LET HIS PUPILS TEACH HIM THEIR LANGUAGE. AN INSIGHT INTO ORAL COMMUNICATION CAN PROVE SIGNIFICANT TO UNDERSTANDING PROBLEM OF DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN. THE DIALOGUE OF INTERACTION TAKING PLACE BETWEEN THE AUTHOR AND THE STUDENTS AS THEY DISCUSSED THE POEM IS INCLUDED.