This study compares the effects of Montessori methods of instruction and methods of direct verbal instruction. Montessori methods rely on the ability of the child to learn through physical interaction with inanimate objects and minimize verbal behavior by teacher and student, while the direct verbal method works mainly through language use, both in the teacher's presentation and the child's responses. In this research project, the Montessori group was made up of 17 upper-middle class 4-year-olds who had already participated in the program for a year. The direct verbal group, called the Academic Preschool, was comprised of 18 4-year-olds from backgrounds similar to those of the Montessori group. All the children were pre- and posttested on the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities and posttested on the Wide-Range Achievement Test (reading, arithmetic and spelling). There were no significant between-group differences at pretest, and posttest total ITPA scores were about the same as the pretest scores. The subtest differences in the second testing favored the Academic Preschool on tests involving abstraction and the Montessori group on tests of simple recognition or memory. The Academic preschool children outscored the Montessori children in all areas of the Achievement Test. (MH)