For 60 years, confusion and misinformation have reigned supreme whenever the subject of teaching phonics comes up for discussion. The paper considers various phonics programs, both old and new, and appraises their effectiveness. It also discusses works on phonetics by some well-known researchers and experts in reading, among them Frank Smith, Marilyn Jager Adams, Samuel T. Orton, and Jean Osborne, as well as opinions on education by Ross Perot, William Bennett, and Barbara Bush. Many people speak about phonics but very few have actually defined phonics. Includes the Riggs Institute's phonics list. (NKA)