Children are ready to write before they are ready to read; thus reading instruction should be an outgrowth of abilities children develop through inventing their own words. This gives children practice with the more concrete activities of word composition before they undertake the relatively abstract task of reading. Writing exercises may be given to children in order to provide background information and to show reading/writing applications in functional contexts. Another advantage to teaching reading with the child's written work is that when these children progress to reading, they will be prepared to take an active role in teaching themselves; the exposure to print helps them to answer most of their own questions and to correct their own mistakes. (Discussion following presentation of the paper is included.) (RL)