This paper reviews the literature on the teacher's role in mediating learning for students with learning disabilities in whole language instructional programs, with specific emphasis on teaching students the parts of language and generalizing this knowledge to various contexts. Principles identified in the review include the following: the dynamic nature of the relationship between teacher and child; the importance of facilitating the child's ownership of his/her own learning; mediated instruction which is "functionally contingent"; a continuum of teacher intervention ranging from less to more teacher control, depending on the student; the necessity to teach skills (such as the parts of language) within a contextual basis; the teaching of generalization through the real use of knowledge in exploration of meaningful problems; use of a learning experience approach which helps students discover the patterns of language, including the parts of language, and how to use them effectively; and recognition that learning optimally moves from the whole, to the parts, to the whole. The paper concludes that, in a whole language curriculum, mediation of learning is provided in a way that allows the student to retain ownership of learning, while providing necessary assistance to facilitate growth. (Contains 27 references.) (DB)