The purpose of this pilot study was to measure the effects of experiential learning on graduate students' use of facilitative language techniques (FLTs) to support language development in young children from a high poverty population. Seven CSD graduate students who participated in a language seminar received direct instruction in and experiential learning with 11 FLTs. The students implemented the learned techniques during an 8-week experience in the community while providing shared book reading activities for children at a local family shelter. Results indicated that the students made significant gains in the number and type of FLTs used during book reading activities. The findings suggest that experiential learning yielded clinically significant changes in the graduate students' use of FLTs during shared book reading with young children. Implications are provided for further research.