Intended to help teachers understand English as a curricular area and identify curriculum issues, this document can also assist committee members as they develop or revise their school district's English language arts course of study. The chapters discuss the following topics: (1) the past, present, and future of the English language arts curriculum; (2) issues in developing an English language arts curriculum, including factors for success, establishing the curriculum, a holistic view, language before schooling, dialectical differences, setting and language, teaching/learning styles, and teaching handicapped students; and (3) applying the components of a process model for developing a course of study, including samples of an English language arts program philosophy, program goals, program objectives, and an evaluation policy. A four-page bibliography concludes the text. Appendixes include sample student objectives for composition/writing and for drama/theatre, a list of action verbs for writing subject objectives, and sample subject objectives for listening and speaking. (EL)