The basic purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the Ray Reading Methods Test in predicting the most suitable method of reading instruction for first-grade children. The subjects for this study were 163 first-grade students in thirteen school districts. All the subjects had scored below the thirtieth percentile on the Metropolitan Readiness Test. Twelve teachers taught all students in their classrooms by the method of reading indicated as preferred, while ten teachers taught all students in their classrooms by the method of reading used in that school. All students taught by the method indicated as preferred were considered part of the experimental group. It was found that: (1) an inadequate sample for the linguistic method and an inadequate control sample for the auditory-visual method prohibited a comprehensive examination of the Ray Reading Methods Test, (2) the Visual-Auditory and Language Experience subtests identified a method that facilitated achievement, and (3) significant differences existed between the methods of teaching reading when pupils were taught by a method indicated as preferred. (Author/WR)