Examined in this study was instruction in two reading intervention programs, Reading Recovery and Reading Mastery, in the context of a statewide early reading initiative's first year of implementation. Through observations of 15 teachers, investigated in this study was the instructional focus of the intervention lessons and the extent to which alphabetics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension were taught. Lessons in both programs were characterized by heavy emphasis on isolated alphabetics instruction and limited explicit comprehension instruction. Reading Recovery emphasized fluency instruction, and teachers' responses to students' oral reading of connected texts focused on developing flexible use of processing strategies. Results have implications for policy and practice, given controversies surrounding early reading instruction.