THE CENTER ATTEMPTS TO ADAPT METHODS AND MATERIALS TO PREVAILING CIRCUMSTANCES, TO ASCERTAIN AND UTILIZE ALREADY AVAILABLE READING AND LANGUAGE RESPONSES OF CHILDREN (MEAGER AS THEY MAY BE), AND TO LEAD CHILDREN THROUGH CAREFULLY PACED RESPONSES WHICH EVOKE APPROVAL AND SUBSEQUENT PROGRESS. THE READING SPECIALIST DEMONSTRATES APPROPRIATE TECHNIQUES, AND STUDENT TEACHERS ARE LATER PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR WORKING WITH CHILDREN, EMULATING TECHNIQUES, EXPERIMENTING WITH THEIR OWN CREATIVE APPROACHES, AND EVALUATING CHILDREN'S RESPONSES. TEN "RETARDED READERS" TAUGHT IN THE CENTER HAVE COMPLETED THE THIRD GRADE. OTHER THAN THE 1/2 HOUR DAILY OF WORK IN PHONICS, THE CHILDREN ENGAGE IN A VARIETY OF PLANNED SENSORY AND LINGUISTIC EXPERIENCES. CERTAIN EVIRONMENTAL FACTORS IN THE HOME CREATE PROBLEMS AND DEFICIENCIES AMONG CULTURALLY DEPRIVED CHILDREN. FOR EXAMPLE, PARENTS MAY SPEAK ONLY IN CONCRETE TERMS. THUS THE CHILD IS UNABLE TO THINK AND SPEAK ABSTRACTLY. THE TEACHER CAN HELP THE CHILD DEVELOP BY USING VARIED TYPES OF QUESTIONS AND WRITTEN MATERIALS WHICH AID CLASSIFICATION AND RELATIONSHIP PERCEPTION.