The present descriptive study was a year-long investigation into the literacy development of nine elementary students with mild to moderate mental retardation (mean CA = 9.8; IQ scores available for seven students, mean IQ = 57.7; IQ range = 40-76). The teacher instructed the students using a balanced, multimethod, multilevel language arts framework that blended more traditional approaches to teaching reading, such as phonics and basal instruction, with holistic and contextualized approaches that included reading children's literature and process writing. The children made measurable gains in several areas, including the use of word identification and reading comprehension strategies, metalinguistics, written language, and confidence with the written word. The authors suggest practical applications for classroom teachers. earning how to read and write t printed language appears to dominate the early schooling of most children in the United States. In con-