The difficulties involved in putting reading theory into practice are summarized in this report, which provides examples of the fragmentation of research by many theoretical models that inhibits their practical application. Throughout the discussion, references and evaluative comments are made concerning the papers that were presented at the Pittsburgh conference on the theory and practice of beginning reading. The paper concludes by urging researchers to refocus their attention on the school, the classroom, and the teacher, defining problems at those levels and working out solutions to them in the laboratory. Discussion following presentation of the paper is included. (RL)