Direct interviews with 17 teachers and observation in 31 rural and urban Venezuelan classrooms (pre-school through grade 6 in nine schools) across 3 states revealed serious reading difficulties among Venezuelan students. Small rooms and multi-grade class situations were common and school supplies and equipment were scarce. Even more scarce were academic materials such as books, worksheets, and kits. Libraries were found to be highly inadequate, often providing limited varieties of texts and usually no additional equipment. Student competence in reading was examined through teacher constructed exams or by having the student read aloud. Children were most typically taught reading skills first by memorizing vowel sounds. Next they were taught consonants, syllables, words, sentences and, finally, short stories. Only one instructor was found who emphasized words first, then consonants, then vowels. By fifth and sixth grade, reading was not a subject and students were expected to read from subject-specific texts with no further reading instruction. New teacher education legislation should help to improve matters. Consideration should be given to the provision of auxillary personnel, and emphasis should be given to meaning-centered instruction. Also, better materials, smaller class sizes, and more efficient time usage should be considered. Finally, parent interest should be harnessed. (PM)