Selected recent research studies are reviewed under the following headings: (1) perception pretraining for reading, (2) hierarchical arrangement of reading skills, (3) comparisons of suggested sequences of different basal series, (4) code versus meaning emphasis in beginning reading, and (5) the relative effectiveness of methods involving sequential development. Although many experts believe that there is sequence in learning the reading skills, most of the studies cited in this review were not designed to investigate this specific problem. No final conclusions or evaluations are made. Fifty-four references are included. (RJ)