To whet the curiosity and interest of teachers who may be frustrated with the reading vocabulary achievement of pupils, an informal study compared Piaget's cognitive development theory, recent brain research, and the reading process, and examined how the theory and research apply to reading instruction. The Gestalt Process Approach to teaching reading encourages the active involvement of the learner, including whole word recognition, word boundary, multi-language activities, instant sight word development and sentence building. Based on this process, two first grade teachers daily used word card study for each child in their classes, regardless of level. Instruction followed a pattern of presentation which included concrete (naming objects), semi-concrete (matching objects to words), semi-abstract (matching words to pictures), and abstract (word cards held up when called). Then, when handed a reader, students could read it. Two other classes followed the basal linear curriculum. Findings indicated support for the Gestalt Process Approach. (Six tables of data are included.) (NH)