Very little has been reported in the literature as to how a child actually learns, but what is known can be put to more effective use in teaching the child to read. The brain has at least five input systems: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. The first of these senses is employed more than the others in reading; however, it is believed that the more input centers used to learn and consequently to story in the memory, the more efficient will be the retrieval of learning for future use. Three other important factors in learning and consequent retrieval are repetition, speed, and quantity of input. A method which makes use of two senses and can supply repetition, speed, and quantity without further burdening the teacher is the use of the tape recorder. By careful manipulation and measurement of the process, the child can rapidly increase his vocabulary without pressure and with pleasure as he listens to and reads from good trade books. This is, of course, to be considered a supplemental teaching device. The teacher must still teach many of the basic skills, such as comprehension and word attack. (DH)