SINCE READING INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES HELP DETERMINE THE FUTURE OF LEARNERS, THESE OBJECTIVES SHOULD BE FORMULATED CAREFULLY. WHILE SOCIETY'S DEMANDS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN DEVELOPING OBJECTIVES, THEIR SELECTION DEPENDS ON THE TEACHING STAFF'S CONVICTIONS AND PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION. WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE LEARNING PROCESS AND ABOUT THE LEARNER, HOWEVER, MUST BE CONSIDERED. CURRICULUM EXPERTS RECOMMEND USING SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TO CLARIFY AND ILLUSTRATE LARGER OBJECTIVES. IF GENERAL OBJECTIVES ARE USED, LEVELS OF GENERALIZATION MUST BE DEFINED AND VERIFIED EXPERIMENTALLY. OBJECTIVES SHOULD BE IN BEHAVIORAL TERMS, PLACED IN HIERARCHIAL ORDER ACCORDING TO THEORIES OF DEVELOPMENT AND MATURATION, AND COMPARED WITH AND CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO DEVELOPED SYSTEMS OF DEFINING GOALS IN BEHAVIORAL TERMS. TEACHERS SHOULD GIVE LEARNERS THE CHANCE TO TRY WHAT IS ASKED OF THEM. THESE TASKS MUST BE GRATIFYING ENOUGH TO STIMULATE THEM TO TRY NEW WAYS OF ACHIEVING THE SAME GOALS. WHILE READING INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES DEFINE AND DIRECT LEARNING, THE READING PROGRAM SHOULD BE FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES. THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED AT THE INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE (SEATTLE, MAY 4-6, 1967). (NS)