The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect on first-grade reading achievement of completing a program designed to teach the names of the letters of the alphabet before beginning formal reading instruction. Information was sought on the differential effect of this program on either boys or girls of different levels of intelligence, initial letter-name knowledge, and reading readiness. In addition, information was sought on the degree of relationship among the variables measured in the investigation. Selected for the sample were 424 first graders in 24 classrooms. Twelve of the classrooms were assigned to control treatment, a program which stressed listening activities. The other 12 classrooms were split between two experimental treatments using two published programs selected as being representative of two prevailing approaches to teaching letter names. Instruction in letter names resulted in superior letter-name knowledge for the experimental groups but not in greater vocabulary or comprehension reading achievement than that exhibited by the control groups. No significant differences were found between the achievement of boys and girls. References are included. (Author/NH)