The purpose of this study was to determine if beginning readers read with fewer errors when the reading materials had content directly related to the reader's existing cognitive structure (for example, reading based on recent concrete experiences). Meaningfulness was manipulated by basing the reading materials on an audio-tutorial science program in which 54 children participated, with 18 each at basal reading levels one, two, and three. Pretests and posttests consisted of the subjects reading two content passages at their reading levels while the researchers recorded errors of substitution, addition, mispronunciation, ommission, and repetition. Results indicated that the beginning readers read with 25% fewer errors when the content was meaningfully related to recent concrete experiences. (Author/RL)