Designed to present a program of balanced developmental reading, this book describes basic principles of reading instruction and presents examples of recommended practice for kindergarten through the elementary grades. Chapter one, "About Reading and the Reading Teacher," discusses the nature, goals, and methods of teaching reading; the reading teacher as a reader; and the linguistic and psychological considerations in reading. Chapter two, "Bases and Related Factors of the Reading Program," considers reading readiness, beginning reading, reading development, vocabulary development, word recognition, word study skills, oral reading, reading rate, content reading, and reading interests. Chapter three, "Recommended Practices in Reading Instruction," focuses attention on individualized instruction, remedial reading, and recommended practices at various levels of instruction. The appendixes include annotated lists of tests, books on reading instruction, sources of graded book lists and materials, bibliographies of reading literature, and a glossary of statistical terms. (LL)