The theoretical literature which has had an impact upon the teaching of composition and which has evolved into the language across the curriculum approach to education, focuses upon the interaction of language and learning. By teaching about speaking and writing, educators are potentially teaching students how to learn. Language functions to represent the experiences of the learner. Language is not only representational; it is also instrumental in cognitive development. Teachers of speaking and writing must understand the process of discovery (expression) as well as the mechanics of the transaction that is communication. Students must be helped to understand the variables that influence the communicative choices they make, which in turn affect the discovery process as well as the end product. In struggling with the problems associated with teaching individuals to become more competent communicators, whether in writing or speaking, educators would do well to focus attention equally on the interaction of communication and learning. (Thirty-nine endnotes are included.) (SG)