Secondary teachers must help students to expand vocabulary skills, to understand and apply ideas in complex reading material, and to improve organizational and work-study skills. To assess reading instruction at the junior high school level in one school district, classroom observations were made of teachers of mathematics, science, social studies, and English. Observers' written reports noted aspects of the programs which appeared to be helping students improve their reading skills, as well as areas of reading instruction that needed improvement. Departmental meetings were held at which reading specialists discussed specific problems; the specialists then visited the classrooms to demonstrate, to test, and to observe. Ongoing activities have included development of an English curriculum guide for helping students to read literary selections; continuing observations and follow-up by administrators and reading supervisors; provision of materials for teachers, both for self-improvement and for use with students; special reading programs for pre-college students, foreign-born students, and remedial students; and speed and power reading courses. As a result of such programs, reading scores of junior high school students have improved, and students are showing more interest in reading assignments. (GW)