TEACHERS AND READING SPECIALISTS ALMOST UNIVERSALLY ACCEPT PHONICS CONTENT IN READING PROGRAMS. THERE ARE, HOWEVER, DISAGREEMENTS ABOUT PHONICS WHICH INVOLVE QUESTIONS SUCH AS HOW PHONICS SHOULD BE PRESENTED, WHAT CONTENT SHOULD BE INCLUDED, AND WHEN IT SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED. THIS STUDY RAISES SOME BASIC ISSUES AND PROVIDES GUIDELINES FOR ACTION. THE ANALYTIC AND SYNTHETIC APPROACHES HAVE BEEN USED DURING RECENT DECADES. HOWEVER, TEACHER JUDGMENT AND KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT IS BEST MUST STILL BE RELIED ON. THE STUDY CONCLUDED THAT PHONICS HAS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN THE TEACHING OF READING. PHONIC ANALYSIS IS BEST USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER WORD IDENTIFICATION TECHNIQUES TO UNLOCK WORDS WHICH ARE KNOWN IN THEIR SPOKEN FORM BUT UNKNOWN IN THEIR WRITTEN FORM. TEACHERS RATHER THAN METHODS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT VARIABLE IN THE TEACHING PROCESS. TEACHERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF RESEARCH RELATING TO METHODS AND MATERIALS AND SHOULD UTILIZE THEIR KNOWLEDGE IN ADJUSTING PROCEDURES TO INDIVIDUAL NEEDS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED AT THE INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE (BOSTON, APRIL 24-27, 1968). (JM)