The paper presents a comparison in the efficiency of two teaching methods of initial cartographic description- the map drawing method with the map reading method. We theoretically compare models of map reading processes and map drawing processes and define them as related and complementary, yet diverse. We compare and evaluate teaching methods of map drawing and reading and present the results of didactic experiment. The pre-test and post- test experiment with a controlling group was carried in five second grade departments in two schools. Statistically, the students made important progress and achieved, by both methods, similar total results in seven weeks of Cartography lessons. However, the students who drew maps considering lower initial results as co- variables achieved statistically higher significant progress with the drawing tasks and with a test as a whole on post-test. There was no great difference in achievements between genders. The students became more interested in maps over the lessons.