This study described ways in which two groups of urban, low-socioeconomic children remained the same and differed after a transition year in skills-based curriculum and a continuing year in whole language curriculum. Both groups had experienced whole language instruction in the first two years in kindergarten and first grade. This investigation arose from the need to better understand children's literacy learning and sought to document knowledge construction from a learners' perspectives. Learner sense making was documented through quantitative and qualitative methods including pre- and post testing, field notes, learner audio taped manuscripts, video tapes, and written artifacts. Among the major findings were: (1) standardized/normed test comparison showed both groups of children were similar; (2) oral reading and a test of reading schemata suggested that development in learning to read cut across curricular differences; (3) reading and writing interviews differed by curriculum with children continuing in whole language retaining more positive responses; (4) children continuing in whole language wrote more frequently and wrote more complex and longer texts; (5) the transition, skills-based group exhibited a loss of a sense of themselves as readers and writers whereas the continuing, whole language group retained this sense making response; and (6) both groups showed similarities and differences in response to literature. Children with two years of whole language schooling had the academic skills necessary to succeed in the skills-based curriculum. However, some children changed from an active and motivated stances to a passive and inactive stance. Mid-year changes in the skills-based curriculum that provided more flexible learning opportunities and use of children's literature resulted in more positively motivated behaviors in these same children. Students continuing in whole language curriculum had similar academic skills, showed no passivity, and retained stability in talk and action documenting a disposition for learning. (Author/AA)