"Can the whole language approach adequately prepare minority students, especially those with different cultural backgrounds, for the literate world?" "Danling Fu joins the current debate over this issue, examining the learning experiences of four Laotian students at a mainstream secondary school. She not only describes and interprets the students' learning situations, but also reveals their perspectives along with those of their teachers." "Throughout the book, Fu provides essential information on how students with different cultural backgrounds and learning styles react, behave, and learn in a classroom and how teachers can use that knowledge to create a community of learners."--BOOK JACKET.