A TWOFOLD PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO PREPARE VOCATIONAL TEACHERS TO PARTICIPATE AS INSTRUCTORS IN A PREVOCATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL PROGRAM FOR RURAL UNDERACHIEVING JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. INITIALLY, A DEMONSTRATION CLASS OF 20 UNDERACHIEVERS SERVED AS AN EXPERIMENTAL UNIT FOR THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND TESTING OF PREVOCATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL CORE CURRICULUM. OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE MEASUREMENT OF PUPIL PROGRESS WAS CONDUCTED FOR 6 WEEKS. MEASUREMENTS INCLUDED THE GATES READING SURVEY, DIFFERENTIAL APTITUDE TESTS, TAPED INTERVIEWS, STUDENT QUESTIONNAIRES, AND PRE- AND POST-ANALYSIS OF WRITTEN AND DICTATED STORIES. THE SECOND PHASE OF THE PROGRAM INVOLVED--(1) THE SELECTION OF 17 VOCATIONAL TEACHERS AND THEIR ORIENTATION TO THE NEEDS, CHARACTERISTICS, AND PROBLEMS OF THE DISADVANTAGED, (2) INSTRUCTION IN CORRECTIVE AND REMEDIAL PROGRAMS, AND (3) ACQUAINTANCE WITH SKILLED AND SEMISKILLED OCCUPATIONS TO BE USED IN MOTIVATING THE DISADVANTAGED THROUGH FORMAL CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, LECTURES, COLLATERAL READING, FIELD TRIPS TO POVERTY AREAS, AND PRACTICE TEACHING. THE RESULTS INDICATED THAT VOCATIONAL TEACHERS CAN BE ORIENTED TO THE NEEDS OF THE DISADVANTAGED AND THAT DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS CAN BE MOTIVATED THROUGH A PREVOCATIONAL CURRICULUM CENTERED AROUND THE STUDY OF OCCUPATIONS AND THROUGH VOCATIONAL TEACHERS USING THEIR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SKILLED AND SEMISKILLED OCCUPATIONS. (HS)