THE RELATIONSHIP OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS' SPEECH FRIGHT TO THEIR SPEECH ABILITY, SPEECH ATTITUDES, AND SPEECH READINESS WAS STUDIED. SURVEYS WERE CONDUCTED AND DESCRIPTIVE DATA WERE COLLECTED ON SPEECH FRIGHT LEVELS AND SPEECH ABILITY OF 1,166 STUDENTS IN SELECTED ELEMENTARY GRADES. ATTITUDES OF TEACHERS TOWARD SPEECH FRIGHT WERE ALSO ASSESSED. IN ADDITION, VARIOUS INTROSPECTIVE TESTS OF SPEECH FRIGHT HAVING CERTAIN PREDICTIVE VALUE WERE DEVELOPED. A PILOT STUDY WAS CARRIED OUT PRIOR TO THE MAIN STUDY TO REFINE METHODOLOGY, TESTS, AND TECHNIQUES. THE STUDY SUCCEEDED IN DEVISING VARIOUS MEASURES FOR SPEECH FRIGHT WHICH COULD BE OF VALUE TO THE ELEMENTARY TEACHER. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT AT LEAST 20 PERCENT OF THE CHILDREN ARE CONSIDERABLY AFFECTED BY SPEECH FRIGHT. NO APPARENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SPEECH FRIGHT AND SPEECH ABILITY WAS FOUND, AND THE EVIDENCE DID NOT INDICATE THAT A CHILD MAY BE MORE READY TO SPEAK AT ANY SPECIFIC GRADE LEVEL. SEVERAL AREAS OF THE STUDY OF SPEECH FRIGHT THAT NEED FURTHER RESEARCH WERE DESCRIBED. (GD)