Research on an experimental application in classroom settings of a new method for the teaching of reading, the Ball-Stick-Bird method, is described in this report. The Ball-Stick-Bird method is a code-emphasis approach developed by Rene Fuller. In this system, each letter of the alphabet is taught on the basis of its distinctive features. Capital letters are used exclusively in the first books, and the distinctiveness of each letter is established by showing that it may be composed of a unique arrangement of three basic forms: a line, a circle, and an angle, called, respectively, a stick, a ball, and a bird. The subjects used in the study were first graders; three groups of children had been classified as educable mentally retarded and one group as emotionally disturbed. The IQs of the students ranged from the low 40s into the 80s. Findings indicated that the method was effective in developing the reading skills of students with previous records of reading failure. The results of the study are presented in narrative and table format. (RB)