The Language Vocabulary Acquisition Approach (LVA) to Reading Instruction is a revolutionary new approach to reading instruction for emergent and developing readers in urban settings. The Approach quickly immerses young urban children into print text, bombarding them with a preponderance of words, ideas and general understandings about their surroundings and the world in general. This process enables them to develop expansive word knowledge resulting in reading, writing and thinking competencies at or well above their grade level and national norms. As an "initial" step in the reading process it focuses on the printed text, words, words and more words rather than visual images, picture clues and illustrations. Research studies on literacy development support the use of printed text in children's "initial" efforts with print. Words, word constructions and vocabulary development are the beginning steps to the LVA approach.