Reading is a complex activity that involves both perception and thought. Reading consists of two related processes, word recognition and comprehension. Learning to read is an important educational goal. Research has shown that there is a great deal of transfer from learning to read in one language to learning to read in a second language. This booklet is about reading development and instruction and provides a synthesis of research on the topic. Following an Introduction, the booklet is divided into these parts: (1) Oral Language; (2) Phonological and Phonemic Awareness; (3) Fluency; (4) Vocabulary; (5) Prior Knowledge; (6) Comprehension; (7) Motivation and Purpose; (8) Integrated Reading and Writing; (9) Texts; (10) Assessment; (11) Cultural Factors; (12) Practice; and Conclusion. (Contains 32 references.) (NKA)