SPECIALLY ADJUSTED ENGLISH COURSES FOR UNDERACHIEVING STUDENTS IN GRADES 10 THROUGH 12 WERE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO EMPHASIZE READING SKILLS. A 15-STUDENT SAMPLE WAS DIVIDIED INTO ONE EXPERIMENTAL AND TWO CONTROL GROUPS AND WAS MATCHED ON IQ, READING ACHIEVEMENT, AND GRAMMAR. THE DATA WERE GATHERED OVER A PERIOD OF 1 ACADEMIC YEAR, AND THE FOLLOWING HYPOTHESES WERE TESTED--(1) EMPHASIS ON READING WILL BE RELATED TO GREATER ACHIEVEMENT IN READING SKILLS, (2) CONSEQUENT REDUCTION OF GRAMMAR AND ESSAY WRITING FOR THE SAMPLE GROUP WILL NOT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPEDE ACHIEVEMENT IN THESE AREAS WHEN COMPARED WITH THE CONTROL GROUPS, AND (3) STUDENTS TAKING A COURSE ADJUSTED TO THEIR NEEDS WILL EXPRESS MORE POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD LEARNING THAN THOSE STUDENTS IN UNADJUSTED COURSES. AFTER COMPARING THE POST-TESTS TO THE PRETESTS, THE AUTHOR FOUND THAT THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP MADE SUBSTANTIAL GAINS IN READING SKILLS, AND THE TWO CONTROL GROUPS ALSO MADE GAINS BUT IN SMALLER AMOUNTS. NONE OF THE GROUPS MADE GAINS IN COMPREHENSION. THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE AMONG THE THREE GROUPS IN BOTH GRAMMAR AND ESSAY WRITING EVEN THOUGH THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP RECEIVED NO INSTRUCTION IN THIS AREA. THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP'S ATTITUDE TOWARD LEARNING WAS NOT IMPROVED, AND IN EFFECT BECAME HOSTILE. THE AUTHOR SUGGESTED THAT, IF SOME MEANINGFUL DEMONSTRATION OF THE REAL PROGRESS MADE BY THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP COULD BE EFFECTED, THE GROUP WOULD NOT FEEL SINGLED OUT AS "DUMB" AND WOULD POSSIBLY EVINCE A MORE POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD LEARNING. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDED THAT SUCH A SPECIALLY DESIGNED ENGLISH COURSE WHICH DOES NOT SINGLE OUT THE UNDERACHIEVER AS BEING DIFFERENT OR UNUSUAL COULD BE SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED. (PM)