THE LANGUAGE ARTS LABORATORY WAS ESTABLISHED TO IMPROVE READING ABILITY AND OTHER LANGUAGE ARTS SKILLS AS AN AID IN THE PREVENTION OF DROPOUTS. THE LABORATORY WAS OPERATED ON A SUMMER SCHEDULE WITH A FLEXIBLE PROGRAM OF FROM 45 MINUTES TO 2 1/2 HOURS DAILY. ALL PUPILS WERE 14 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, AND EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO IMPROVE THEIR READING SKILLS. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAM THE CALIFORNIA READING TEST AND AN ORAL READING ANALYSIS WERE ADMINISTERED TO EACH STUDENT. AS AN ESSENTIAL ASPECT OF THE MOTIVATION AND ORIENTATION PART OF THE PROGRAM, INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP COUNSELING INTERVIEWS WERE PLANNED. A VARIETY OF MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT HELPED TO SPARK AND HOLD THE INTEREST OF THE STUDENTS, AND PROVIDED INCENTIVES FOR MAXIMUM EFFORT. READER'S DIGEST SKILL BUILDERS, WITH AN ANALYTIC APPROACH TO VOCABULARY AND COMPREHENSION SKILLS, HAD MORE ATTRACTION FOR THE PUPILS THAN ANY OTHER WORK MATERIAL. SEVERAL HUNDRED ATTRATIVE BOOKS, LARGELY SIMPLIFIED CLASSICS, WERE POPULAR FOR RECREATIONAL READING. AMONG THE MECHANICAL AIDS, THE TAPE RECORDER PROVED MOST USEFUL, VERSATILE, AND WELL-LIKED. IT WAS USED--IN ORAL READING, FOR SELF-EVALUATION, GROUP EVALUATION, AND DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSIS, FOR TEACHING PHONETIC SKILLS, ORAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS, AND READING SKILLS, AND FOR TEACHER INSERVICE TRAINING PROGRAMS. OTHER TEACHING AIDS AND EQUIPMENT INCLUDED OPAQUE PROJECTOR, FILM STRIP PROJECTOR, AND READING ACCELERATOR. AN INTEGRAL ASPECT OF THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN EVALUATION WHICH INCLUDES PUPIL SELF-APPRAISAL, GROUP CRITICISM, REPORTS TO PARENTS, AND STANDARDIZED TESTS.