Various theories of language acquisition are discussed: behavioristic, nativistic, and cognitive. Linguistically‐oriented theories are compared with learning‐oriented theories, and four controversial issues of frequency of stimuli, imitation, expansion, and meaning are reviewed. The theories are all rather unsubstantial at present. Reading acquisition seems to be very different from language acquisition, and the theories of language acquisition appear to have little to offer anyone in coming to a better understanding of how beginning reading should be tau