Language plays a critical role in achieving USAID’s education priorities and global commitments to provide all children with access to a quality education. Appropriate use of language in education is fundamental to effective reading and literacy instruction, and teaching and learning across the curriculum. Without attention to language issues, equitable, meaningful and sustainable improvement of children’s literacy and learning outcomes cannot happen. The Handbook aims to support governments, USAID and other donors, and the many organizations, institutions and individuals collaborating to improve literacy and learning in low-income countries by providing them with information, guidance and resources to understand and address language issues in their primary grade literacy programs.