Intended for teachers, this book reports an assessment of reading achievement in the Irish schools of first year postprimary pupils. Chapters discuss background information, the research procedure, the survey findings, "backwardness" in reading, and the researcher's conclusions. The book concludes with an abstract that lists some of the chief findings of the survey, including the following: (1) the mean reading achievement of boys and girls did not differ significantly; (2) 5% more boys than girls were backward readers; (3) four times more boys than girls were disabled readers; (4) differences in inductive reasoning ability accounted for one-third of the variation in reading level; (5) variations in age, attitude, and interests affected standards; (6) reading interests and habits varied considerably; (7) more backward readers attended vocational schools; (8) reading difficulty was more prevalent among pupils from lower socioeconomic groups and agricultural backgrounds; (9) reading problems showed no clear relationship with school size in the secondary sector; (l0) many heads of school were aware of a reading problem; and (11) some evidence from this report supports Cattell's theory of fluid and crystallized intelligence as a helpful context for distinguishing between reading comprehension and abstract reasoning.