Descriptions of language learning and reading behaviors are presented, in this paper, within the context of a model of cognitive processing that reflects a continuum for the logical procession of language skills in human maturation and learning. Portions of the paper differentiate silent and oral reading in terms of cognitive load, which is a function of the complexity and relative difficulty of the processing task at any point along the continuum. Examples are offered to show that the cognitive load of a reading task is not equal among all children and may be heaviest for those who tend to have language, speech, or auditory input variations from the accepted textual norm, or who manifest unstable, immature visual/perceptual reading skills. The final portion of the paper examines the instructional implications of the cognitive processing model, noting that silent reading must be linked to substantive subject matter and that the language experience approach is useful in beginning reading instruction. (RL)