This volume describes and discusses the areas in which children must develop in order to learn to read, emphasizing the recognition of the different rates of development for various children. Contained in this material are suggestions regarding the role of the classroom teacher in assessing the needs of the young child and in planning and organizing for teaching. Lists of resources and materials are offered as references to be used by educators in updating and formulating a prereading program. Group and individual checklists are included to add to the teachers' tools for assessment. The information is also designed to facilitate the process of evaluating and reporting student progress. (LL)