This paper reviews literature on subcultural differences in language development to find out what the literature suggests about the nature of a language program for lower class 4-year-olds. The following conclusions are reached: (1) differences in syntactic and phonological competence are not important barriers to communication for the lower class preschool child and should not be the focus of preschool language training; (2) of the many subcultural differences in language, the major one which puts the average lower class child at a "disadvantage" is his relative lack of ability to use a precise language of description; (3) the literature on subcultural differences in language use identifies many of the specific language skills used in this abstract type of language; (4) the traditional preschool is not likely to foster the use of the specific language skills which the lower class child most needs to master; (5) of two broad types of more focused language intervention programs (one in which the teacher's response is contingent on the child's and one in which the child's response is contingent on the teacher's), the latter, more highly structured, program will probably be more successful in teaching the crucial language skills. (Author/DR)