To determine whether preservice teachers could articulate, in writing, appropriate instructional strategies for teaching phonics, a study surveyed 83 elementary education students selected randomly from all students enrolled in a reading methods course at Brigham Young University. Students completed one of three questionnaires assessing what strategies students would use to teach the letter sounds, blending techniques, and phonic generalizations to first grade children. The questionnaires included both open-ended and closed format questions. Results showed that most of the students could not articulate appropriate instructional strategies for either the implicit or explicit approach to phonics instruction for first grade children. Results also indicated that respondents had not reviewed the literature pertaining to the teaching of phonics. In addition, none of the students listed an instructional strategy that met the standards for an appropriate instructional session, such as explanation of goals and objectives, learner practice, and feedback. (Five tables of data are included.) (MM)