This publication is a teacher participant handbook for an inservice minicourse in developing children's oral language skills, developed by the Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development. Four critical teachinq behaviors are stressed: (1) expand the complexity, flexibility, and preciseness of language and thought; (2) model new language patterns; (3) elicit children's use of new language; and (4) provide specific praise for use of precise lanquage. These behaviors have been developed in response to four basic principles of lanquage learning: (1) children will learn new language best if they feel the need for the language; (2) they will learn new language best when it is associated with something they already know or with something they can see or feel; (3) they will learn new language best when it is heard and used often; and (4) language and thouqht are interdependent and therefore should be developed together. Five instructional sequences are presented: teaching behaviors for expanding language and thought, teaching behaviors for establishing language patterns, teaching the use of language to describe position, to describe and classify objects, and to describe and identify action. Each instructional sequence contains learning checkpoints, suggestions for microteaching, and lesson plans and teacher self-evaluation forms for each microteaching and reteaching exercise. Appendices include (1) materials and suggested procedures for conducting language development interviews; (2) sample follow-up lessons with pupil evaluation forms; and (3) a brief review of the literature on language acquisition. (MJB)