Written from a psycholinguistic perspective to assist teachers-in-training to prepare for reading instruction in grades one through eight, this book can clarify basic issues in reading as well as supplement current knowledge. The three major parts into which this book is divided examine reading in the "human context," the "teaching context," and the "reader's context." In chapters 1 and 2, basic knowledge in understanding reading is discussed and reading is described as one of the four communication abilities practiced among teachers, students, chalkboards, and books. Chapters 3 through 8 discuss reading as a synthesis of developmental processes, the development of reading readiness and its parent-teacher partnership together with readiness to teach reading, the basic information essential to the teaching of beginning and advanced reading, advanced information on reading, teaching for reading comprehension in basal readers and different content-area textbooks, and various instructional procedures and other approaches in teaching reading. Chapters 9 through 11 deal with independent reading, differences among students, and the use of formal and informal instruments in the assessment of reading performance. (EL)