In teaching standard English to non-native students or students with different dialects, teachers must gain the students' trust by demonstrating an egalitarian attitude toward all dialects, and by explaining that the acquisition of a new dialect does not require rejection of the old one. Also, in order to teach written English effectively to non-native speakers and speakers of different American English dialects, teachers must understand the most common areas of divergence between standard and non-standard English, thereby enabling them to diagnose, identify and prescribe solutions for student errors. By assigning diagnostic essays, teachers can identify students' abilities and note the specific features that need adjustment. First, students are divided into two categories: English as a second language/dialect different (ESL/DD), and basic writers. Writing can then be taught as a four stage process: prewriting, writing, rewriting, and proofreading. Basic writers concentrate on immersing themselves in standard written English (newspapers, magazines, novels) and reciting passages of standard English while listening to the syntax. ESL/DD students also read, recite, transcribe and memorize, but with a focus on specific grammar points, such as the use of articles and prepositions, word endings, and word inflections. Students record the types of errors made in their essay, which reinforces the concept of proofreading, and provides them with a progress chart for each essay. (A handout on common areas of divergence, a progress chart, and recommended student readings are appended.) (MM)