This book offers suggestions to public school teachers for reaching the alienated and culturally disadvantaged student. The rationale of the book involves three major assumptions: (1) that only an open and accepting attitude toward students will earn their trust, (2) that a teacher should have high expectations for culturally different students, and (3) that teachers must be honest with themselves about their attitudes toward these students--they should leave the profession if they have unalterable prejudices about below average students. The major areas of teaching which are discussed are language, literature, humanities, composition, and media. Suggested lesson plans are provided for each area discussed. Several of these plans show how the areas of English can be correlated for a culturally diverse population. Each chapter mentions useful instructional materials, including books, audiovisual materials, inexpensive teaching aids, and other devices which teachers and students can make. Appendixes on a number of topics are included, as are bibliographies of general literature for the student and professional literature for the teacher. (DI)