AUDITORY PERCEPTION, WHICH INCLUDES AUDITORY DISCRIMINATION AND AUDITORY MEMORY, IS DISCUSSED AND CLARIFIED IN RELATION TO LEARNING TO READ. THE FACTORS ARE DISCUSSED AS PERCEPTUAL QUALITIES WHICH ARE PART OF AN AURAL INPUT PATHWAY. INITIAL DATA FROM A LONGITUDINAL STUDY TO TEST THE EFFECT OF AUDITORY MEMORY AND DISCRIMINATION ON BEGINNING READING INSTRUCTION ARE REPORTED. SUBJECTS WERE 177 CHILDREN STUDIED OVER A 3-YEAR PERIOD--THE FIRST THROUGH THE THIRD GRADES. THE PARAMETERS TESTED INCLUDE ARTICULATION, INTELLIGENCE, AUDITORY AND VISUAL PERCEPTION, ORAL MOTOR MOVEMENT, VISUAL MOTOR ABILITY, AND READING READINESS. THE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT THERE IS A DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRESSION IN PERCEPTUAL ABILITIES. BOTH AUDITORY AND VISUAL PERCEPTION ARE SIGNIFICANTLY CORRELATED WITH MOST SUBTESTS OF THE READING ACHIEVEMENT TEST. THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED AT THE INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE (SEATTLE, MAY 4-6, 1967). (BK)