This paper presents a technique for teaching reading to foreign language students based on the importance of structural meaning in reading processes. Students are expected to learn particular language patterns for recognition only and are not expected to produce them. Such a procedure acknowledges certain differences between written and spoken language. The author discusses the different processes required by the basic language skills, the importance of syntactic meaning in reading, and certain aspects of the transformational model that are relevant to reading instruction materials. In conclusion the author describes the procedure for presenting structure patterns for recognition in the reading class. (VM)