This paper describes various approaches to beginning reading instruction and discusses the major factors which determine success or failure in beginning reading regardless of the approach used. The teacher, the child, and the social and physical environment while being infinitely variable can be controlled to great extent by the teacher of beginning reading. The paper shows the beginning reading teacher how to control her own behavior, the child's behavior, social and physical environment so that optimum learning can be provided. Included are descriptions of the synthetic and analytic phonics approach, the linguistic approach, the visual-auditory-kinesthetic tactile (VAKT) approach, the whole word approach, and language experience approach. A brief note concerning research in beginning reading and a challenge to administrators and teachers of beginning reading conclude the article. (Author)