The seven articles in this journal issue deal with various aspects of reading instruction. The articles discuss the following topics: (1) results of a study conducted to gain information helpful to reading specialists and school administrators in implementing new Wisconsin state reading requirements; (2) the use of creative, reading-based language arts projects with poor readers; (3) use of the PQRST (preview, question, read, summarize, and test) method in helping students study novels; (4) a method for helping students understand literary characters; (5) results of a survey to determine parents' level of confidence in their local elementary school's ability to successfully teach their children to read; (6) contributions and faults of the psycholinguistic approach to reading; and (7) methods to help teachers assess children's reading readiness. Regular journal features provide an update on research on language development and reading, suggestions for a puppetry activity and for ways parents can participate in their children's reading, and discussions of political issues in education and of conflicting philosophical positions regarding learning processes. (GT)