Current practice in the teaching of reading and the diagnosis of reading difficulties in the Eastern Caribbean tends to focus on the content and methodology of reading. That is, our focus tends to be on better materials, more appropriately sequenced instructional programmes (with content usually taken as given), or on improved teacher methodologies. Quite clearly these are important and relevant variables in the teaching of reading. The problem is that such a conceptual framework ties us to a fixed perspective of reading instruction especially at the beginning reading stage.