A study investigated the extent to which bottom-up and top-down conceptual frameworks of reading were held by primary grades teachers. In the first phase of the study, 66 teachers were given the Theoretical Orientation to Reading Profile (TORP), which was designed to reflect belief systems of reading instruction organized around a continuum from an emphasis on units of language smaller than words to an emphasis on units larger than words. In the second phase, 20 teachers whose TORP responses indicated a range of instructional emphases on the continuum were administered the Conceptual Framework of Reading Interview. This instrument was devised to elicit specific beliefs within the construct systems. Based on their responses, the teachers were identified as holding moderate or strong bottom-up or moderate or strong top-down conceptual frameworks. Analysis of the responses revealed that teachers with a strong bottom-up belief system tended to emphasize lower order units instructionally and to believe that students learn to read by learning decoding skills. Those with moderate bottom-up beliefs emphasized sounds, letters, and words instructionally. Moderate top-down teachers also believed that students learn to read by learning decoding skills; however, those holding both a moderate and strong top-down position believed that students learn to read by reading meaningful material. Those holding a strong top-down position emphasized higher order units instructionally. (FL)