THE EXPERIENTIALLY POOR CHILD WHO HAS HEARD LITTLE ADULT CONVERSATION DIRECTED AT AND FOR HIM IS ILL-PREPARED FOR BEGINNING READING. HIS LEARNING ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE PLANNED TO INCLUDE EXPERIENCE, REAL AND/OR VICARIOUS. BEFORE HE IS INVOLVED WITH THE SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION OF THE SPOKEN OR WRITTEN WORD. THE CHILD SHOULD HAVE DEVELOPED STRONG LISTENING HABITS AND HAVE GAINED THE ABILITY TO HEAR GROSS AND FINE LIKENESSES AND DIFFERENCES. HE SHOULD HAVE ALSO DEVELOPED VISUAL ACUITY TO THE POINT OF SEEING GROSS AND FINE LIKENESSES AND DIFFERENCES. A PROGRAM COMPENSATING THE EXPERIENTIALLY POOR CHILD SHOULD PROVIDE AUDITORY AND VISUAL READINESS, STRESSING BEGINNING SOUNDS AND USING OBJECTS AND PICTURES. BY THE END OF THE PROGRAM (THE END OF THE KINDERGARTEN YEAR), THE CHILD SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH THE SOUNDS OF THE INITIAL CONSONANTS AND SHOULD RECOGNIZE THE LETTER NAMES BELONGING TO THEM. AT NO TIME SHOULD ISOLATED INITIAL CONSONANTS BE TAUGHT. THE SOUND SHOULD BE ATTACHED TO A SPOKEN WORD. INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD BEGIN WITH THE EASIEST SOUND FOR A CHILD TO PRODUCE, "M." FROM THERE, INSTRUCTION SHOULD PROCEED TO THE EXPLOSIVE, "P,""B,""T,""D," AND THEN TO OTHER CONSONANTS. TEACHING THE "M" SOUND SHOULD BEGIN WITH HAVING THE CHILDREN WATCH THE TEACHER FORM "M" WITH HER LIPS HOLDING UP AN OBJECT STARTING WITH "M." THE CHILDREN WOULD THEN REPEAT HER PROCEDURE WHILE AT THE SAME TIME HOLDING UP THE OBJECT SHE SHOWED THEM. THE PROCESS SHOULD THEN BE REPEATED USING PICTURES. SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS FOR INTRODUCING OTHER SOUNDS ARE LISTED.