Fifty-four kindergarten children were screened with the Sapir Developmental Scale to highlight deficiencies in bodily schema, perceptual motor skills, and language development, and were matched in groups of three by score, chronological age, and sex with one of the three acting as control. Three first grade classes were organized as follows: one experimental with 12 deficit children using a deficit centered training curriculum; one experimental with 24 normal children using a traditional curriculum; one control with six deficit children and 12 normal children using a traditional curriculum. The children were given a battery of psychodiagnostic tests in the fall and spring of the first grade. The results clearly favored the deficit children in the experimental class with significant differences in mean change in Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children scores (p=.05), in visual perception and language functioning (p=.01), and in perceptual motor skills (p<.05). Important changes were also noted for the same groups in auditory-visual integration and visual perception, and in language development, particularly in expressive areas. Little difference was seen in the measurement of academic achievement. Performance favored the normal experimental group but without significant differences. (Author/SN)