The present book aims to conceptualize cognitive activation as a characteristic of domain-specific teaching quality for early reading instruction, operationalize the construct for video-based assessment, and thus make reading instruction describable. What aspects does the quality characteristic of cognitive activation encompass in primary school reading instruction? And are teachers able to design cognitively activating reading exercises? To answer these questions, 48 video-recorded reading exercises from the research project PERLE ("Personality and Learning Development of Primary School Children") were evaluated using low to high inferential observation systems. The results show that teachers are successful in creating conducive learning conditions, while the potential of the instruction for cognitively activating the students is not fully utilized.