Teaching reading is a complex undertaking, especially when the learner is an adult. Unlike children, adult learners cannot spend several hours in a classroom every day. Given the complexity of the task, what methods should educators use to help adult learners make substantial gains in their reading skills? This booklet summarizes the emerging principles and trends in adult reading instruction identified in a report of the Reading Research Working Group: Research-Based Principles for Adult Basic Education Reading Instruction. For each essential component of reading instruction (alphabetics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension), it covers the vital questions of what the component is, why it is taught, and how it should be assessed. In addition, for each component, it briefly discusses the implications for teachers.