A COMPARISON WAS MADE OF FOUR DIFFERENT METHODS OF TEACHING BEGINNING READING. THE PROGRAMS STUDIED WERE (1) AN ECLECTIC, "WHOLE WORD" READING PROGRAM PRESENTED IN SCOTT, FORESMAN PUBLICATIONS, (2) A "PHONIC" READING PROGRAM PUBLISHED BY J.B. LIPPINCOTT, (3) A COMBINATION ECLECTIC, "WHOLE WORD - PHONIC" READING PROGRAM PRESENTED BY SCOTT, FORESMAN MATERIALS SUPPLEMENTED BY AMERICAN EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS' 1964 EDITION OF "PHONICS AND WORD POWER," AND (4) A LANGUAGE ARTS APPROACH WHICH USES THE INITIAL TEACHING ALPHABET IN THE MATERIALS OF ITA PUBLICATIONS. EACH READING PROGRAM WAS USED IN FIVE FIRST-GRADE CLASSES. INTELLIGENCE TESTS, READING READINESS TESTS, AND READING ACHIEVEMENT TESTS WERE USED TO EVALUATE READING SKILLS OF THE STUDENTS. THE CONCLUSIONS DRAWN WERE REGARDED AS TENTATIVE AND FURTHER RESEARCH WAS RECOMMENDED. HOWEVER, RESULTS INDICATED THAT ITA, "PHONICS AND WORD POWER," AND LIPPINCOTT GAVE STUDENTS A FASTER START IN SOME READING AND SPELLING SKILLS, BUT THESE DIFFERENCES DIMINISHED FARTHER ALONG IN THE STUDY. EFFECTIVENESS OF THE READING PROGRAMS ALSO VARIED WITH ABILITY LEVELS OF THE STUDENTS. PUPIL ACHIEVEMENT WAS FOUND TO BE INFLUENCED BY (1) THE EDUCATIONAL LEVEL OF THE PARENTS, (2) THE NUMBER OF BOOKS AND MAGAZINES IN THE HOME, AND (3) ABOVE AVERAGE TEACHERS. (AL)