Various aspects of beginning reading programs in six countries are discussed in the five articles in this booklet. In the first article, the principles and methods of instruction used in Sweden are described and trends in beginning reading instruction are noted. The importance of a verbal environment, teacher competence, and early diagnosis in reducing reading disabilities is stressed. The second article reports that children in Japan begin reading prior to school in an informal setting with the help of their parents. Beginning reading in Canada and the United States is described in the third article, first from an historical perspective and then in terms of current practices and trends. The fourth article acquaints the reader with three aspects of the English education system: (1) the autonomy of the head teacher, (2) the flexibility of that system, and (3) the length of time involved in infant education. The organization and reading schemes used in infant classes are described. The last article contains a brief review of the administration of Mexican schools and details the official method of reading instruction, showing how it is applied from grade one through grade six. (FL)