The effects of a language-based reading approach on the reading strategies of first grade children were examined in a study involving a total of 40 children. Half of the students were placed in an experimental group that was exposed to the language-based reading approach, and half were placed in a control group that was taught to read by a conventional method. At the end of the first-grade year, reading tests were administered to the children. Scores from the tests were used to evaluate their word recognition, comprehension, and accuracy. Their oral reading was audiotaped so that miscues could be analyzed, and the effect the beginning reading approach had upon attitude to and concept of reading was also measured. The results revealed that the experimental group achieved at a higher level on word recognition than did the control group; however, there was no difference between the groups in attitude to and concept of reading. Both groups produced miscues that indicated that sound/graphic relationships were high, while the experimental group produced a higher percentage of miscues with identical grammatical function and strength of grammatical relationship and with "no loss" in comprehension and retelling than did the control group. Finally, the experimental group showed a significantly more effective use of reading strategies than did the control group. (FL)