The purposes of this study were to determine (1) if it is possible to predict which children will develop word recognition deficits based on levels of articulation proficiency and auditory discrimination ability; (2) the effect of two different instructional approaches for beginning reading, phonics, and whole-word approach; and (3) if first grade children who misarticulate have less well developed auditory discrimination ability than children with correct articulation. The subjects, all of the children enrolled in grade one in a rural Pennsylvania area, were grouped according to articulation and auditory discrimination ability. The SRA, Primary Mental Abilities, K-1; the Templin-Darley Tests of Articulation, Screening Form; the MacDonald Deep Test of Articulation; and the Wepman Test of Auditory Discrimination were administered during the first two months of the academic year; the Daniels' Word Recognition Lists, forms A and B, level one, and the Temple Informal Reading Inventory, Form A, level one, oral selection, were administered late in the Spring term. The results indicated that it is possible to predict which children will develop word recognition deficits in grade one based on articulation proficiency and auditory discrimination ability. (Author/WR)