In this paper, the results of an empirical research that was carried out in the 2005 and 2006 are presented. The research was inspired by the findings of the PIRLS international research project in which Czech pupil failed to meet expectations. We tested the reading skills of pupils (279 pupil in 7 schools) in the final year of primary education (grade 5) in the Czech Republic. Czech teachers traditionally tend to concentrate mainly on the technical aspects of teaching reading, giving the functional aspects less attention. This should be changed by the basic school reform that is currently taking place in Czech schools. This research project combined qualitative and qualitative research methodologies. In a questionnaire, pupils were asked to answer questions concerning their family and school backgrounds, as well as attitudes towards reading. Using a test, their reading skills were examined. The fact that a PIRLS text was used in the test will make it possible to compare the results of Czech pupil with those of pupils from other European countries. Based on these quantitative results, those pupils were selected that achieved very high or very low scores in the reading skills test. These students were further tested and interviews were conducted with them. These interviews and further results allow analyses of those reading strategies that characterise and are used by good readers.