This book is divided into five major parts. Part One, "Background: Diagnostic Reading Instruction," discusses some of the common explanations of reading failure and provides a modern reading program in action. Part Two, "What the Diagnostic Reading Teacher Knows," operates on the hypothesis that those who teach reading skills must know such skills. Four chapters, dealing in turn with word recognition skills, comprehension skills, fluency skills, and motivational techniques are included. Part Three, "What the Diagnostic Reading Teacher Determines," discusses the individual learner and how to meet his unique needs. Part Four, "What the Diagnostic Reading Teacher Prescribes," deals with the importance of the proper prescription for the given malady and how the teacher can plan for indirect, pupil-managed learning tasks. Part Five, "What the Diagnostic Reading Teacher Organizes and Operates," provides an observation of a new second-grade teacher as she goes about the task of implementing in her classroom the theory and skill of the previous chapters. (Author/WR)