The concept that a child's potential reading level can be measured via listening comprehension has at least one major shortcoming: it is of doubtful worth for children in grades one through three. First, reading comprehension and listening comprehension are not approximately equal early in a child's schooling. In fact, it seems that they generally do not become approximately equal until about grade six. Second, listening and reading comprehension do not grow at approximately equal rates. Data have shown that the normal differences between these two modes of understanding are so great for children in the early grades that, if compared to the typical differences suggested by reading authorities for identifying students for remedial instruction, they would drastically overrefer children and would include vast numbers of primary grade students progressing normally in learning to read. It seems obvious that in grades one through three listening comprehension should not be unthinkingly accepted as an equal and valid substitute for measures of academic aptitude in determining reading potential. (HOD)