DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR 1965-66, GROUPS OF FIRST-GRADE PUPILS IN THE LIVONIA SCHOOL SYSTEM, MICHIGAN, WERE PROVIDED WITH READING INSTRUCTION MATERIALS FROM EIGHT PUBLISHERS REPRESENTING EIGHT APPROACHES AS PART ONE OF A 2-YEAR STUDY. THE MATERIALS WERE THE LIPPINCOTT BASIC READING SERIES, THE SCIENCE RESEARCH ASSOCIATES BASIC READING SERIES, THE SCOTT FORESMAN BASAL READING SIXTIES SERIES, THE GINN BASIC READERS, THE MICHIGAN SUCCESSIVE DISCRIMINATION LANGUAGE READING PROGRAM, THE STERN STRUCTURAL READING SERIES, THE MCGRAW-HILL (SULLIVAN) PROGRAMED READING MATERIALS, AND THE INITIAL TEACHING ALPHABET PROGRAM. PRELIMINARY MEASURES WERE COLLECTED ON MENTAL ABILITY, READING READINESS, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, TEACHER ESTIMATE OF READING MOTIVATION, INTEREST IN READING, DOMINANCE, AND PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF SPEECH PROBLEMS. THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS WERE CONSIDERED IN THE COMPARISON--WHICH METHOD (1) PRODUCES THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT, (2) PRODUCES HIGHEST LEVEL OF WRITING ABILITY, (3) SEEMS BEST SUITED FOR CHILDREN OF HIGH OR LOW PREVIOUS INTEREST IN READING, (4) PRODUCES A SPECIAL TYPE OF READING ACHIEVEMENT, (5) IS BEST SUITED FOR HIGH OR LOW READINESS LEVELS, (6) IS BEST FOR GIRLS OR BOYS, (7) IS BEST FOR CHILDREN WITH SPEECH PROBLEMS. A DETAILED DISCUSSION OF THE PROCEDURES AND FINDINGS IS GIVEN. THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED AT THE INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE (SEATTLE, MAY 4-6, 1967). (RH)