Noting that the development of effective intervention programs and instructional strategies for the struggling or underachieving reader continues to be a topic of concern, this Digest first reviews the current status of reading performance, based on the 1998 National Assessment of Educational Progress. It then reports on the importance of early reading instruction and presents a summary of the components of successful intervention programs. The Digest concludes by summarizing the types of instructional activities present in successful intervention programs. (Contains 12 references.) (RS)