Past research studies have revealed a direct relationship between reading instruction and the reading behaviors of children. After reviewing several such studies, this paper presents a research paradigm used to explore the relationship between reading instruction and reading behavior during the pretutorial, or planning, phase of reading, and it identifies three basic theoretical orientations to reading: a sound/symbol, or decoding, orientation; a skills orientation, in which reading is viewed as a collection of discrete skills; and a whole-language orientation, in which reading is always focused on comprehension. It then describes several instruments that have been developed to explore the relationship between reading instruction and reading behavior. The final part of the Paper reports on a study of teacher decisions about reading and pupil reading behaviors, in grades one, two, and three in one elementary school. Analysis of the results indicated that teacher pretutorial decisions are consistent theoretically and that such decisions match and predict teacher tutorial behaviors; students also operate out of a consistent theoretical model of reading; and student reading strategies appear to relate directly to instructional history. (GW)