Literature programs that emphasize individualized reading have been found to significantly benefit life-long reading patterns. Since reading interests and motivation vary greatly, the English teacher, while fostering responsible choices, should let each student explore his personal interests at his own pace. Serving as a resource for his students, the teacher, by applying such outside criteria as book awards, can make available that literature which answers both student needs and the literary requirements of the school curriculum. Dialogue with individual students, shared classroom discussion, and the use of composition assignments to clarify ideas further effectuate literature programs in which the student is offered a framework for dealing with his own problems and a means of acquiring a literary heritage. Finally, the essential factor in any successful literature program is the teacher's ability to transmit both a personal interest in students and his own involvement in literature. (MF)