A Piagetian, language-experience approach to the early teaching of reading to normal young and older developmentally delayed preoperational children was developed. The approach was discussed in a specially-developed manual which was field tested by 42 teachers among 390 children in 16 school systems in several states and in Canada. Subjects were preponderantly residents of suburban communities in the United States, white or black, 3 to 5 years of age, and students at public schools. Specific goals of the practicum were to acquaint the teacher of preoperational children with the developmental characteristics of such children and with the theories, purposes, and procedures of an expanded version of the language-experience approach. The manual also provides complete lesson models including ready-to-use follow-up activities for the teacher, practical management and record keeping techniques, and models to help teachers explain development in Piagetian terms to parents and administrators. Project evaluation data indicate that the approach was effective in beginning the reading process among preoperational children of all ages (2 through 12 years). Teachers using the manual found it to be clear and helpful. Questionnaires used in evaluating the practicum are appended, along with enthusiastic comments made by teachers who had used the manual. (Author/RH)