CONFLICTING POINTS OF VIEW TOWARD SPELLING INSTRUCTION WERE DISCUSSED, AND A CRITIQUE OF THE PROBLEM WAS OFFERED. THE RESEARCH ON BOTH SIDES OF THE PROBLEM OF OBTAINING COMPETENCY BY SPELLING GENERALIZATIONS (RULES) WAS PROVIDED. THE AUTHOR CAUTIONED AGAINST THE DANGER OF ASSUMING AN ALL-OR-NONE OR AN EITHER-OR STANCE BY POINTING OUT THE PITFALLS OF PREVIOUS RESEARCH BASED ON THESE DICHOTOMOUS STANCES TOWARD SPELLING INSTRUCTION. A MORE BALANCED APPROACH TO SPELLING PROGRAMS WAS URGED. RESEARCH EFFORTS SHOULD BE BETTER DESIGNED, CONDUCTED, AND BASED ON THE COMPLEXITY, NOT THE SIMPLICITY, OF THE SPELLING PROBLEM. THE AUTHOR PROPOSES THAT RESEARCH EFFORTS BE REALIGNED TO INVESTIGATE QUESTIONS OF PREDOMINANCE AND DEGREE INSTEAD OF CONTINUING THE EARLIER ATTEMPTS AT EITHER-OR SOLUTIONS TO VARIOUS APPROACHES TOWARD SPELLING INSTRUCTION. THIS ARTICLE IS PUBLISHED IN "ELEMENTARY ENGLISH." (GD)