A writing center course designed for adult learners offers features that will work in either a credit or a noncredit course. The classroom provides an informal setting and contains a variety of workbooks and audio visual materials, indexed for easy student reference. Sample paragraphs and essays illustrating different composition formats are kept on file, including famous speeches. A presentation easel containing sheets with explanatory material on grammar and structure eliminates the need to repeat instruction when individual problems arise. After giving each student a grammar test and an essay assignment, the teacher evaluates the essay and plans an individualized program of instruction with each student, which includes a contract specifying the amount of work to be done and the time allotted for it. The writing instruction progresses from grammar to paragraph development to essays, allowing students a choice of topics. Problems with this system include the time consuming entrance and exit interviews, nontraditional students who often refuse to sign contracts, and audiovisual materials that may be insulting to adult students. The successful features of the approach include the availability of materials, the student files, and teaching assistants or tutors to keep the student/teacher ratio low. (HTH)