This paper begins with an overview of necessary word recognition skills and the debate between use of phonics versus whole language. The paper gives a useful 5-step strategy for decoding unfamiliar words: (1) use context clues; (2) try the sound of the initial consonant, vowel, or blend in addition to context clues; (3) check for structural clues; (4) use phonics generalizations to sound out as much of the word as necessary; and (5) consult the dictionary. It then discusses phonics integrated with content from reading, contends that there are suitable times to teach phonics, and outlines some basic principles in teaching phonics. The paper emphasizes that phonics should be taught as a means to an end, not an end in and of itself. The paper then discusses the different philosophies of phonics instruction: advocates of the basics believe that there is a core of phonics principles and generalizations that students should learn and use, while there are other teachers who emphasize a strong program of phonics instruction with a well-developed scope and sequence. Individualized reading, a holistic approach in reading instruction, is also discussed in the paper, as is behaviorism and the reading curriculum. The paper concludes with a consideration of objectives in the teaching of reading. (NKA)