The Language Arts Test of Cognitive Functioning (LATCF) was investigated to determine if the measure could give specific information about the thinking required for language arts tasks. The LATCF was developed by the author and consists of six anecdotes or tasks that the student must solve or complete. The anecdotes are built on six functions that describe major categories of thinking used in language arts: interest and investigation style, reasons for events, relationships, use of a model as a theory, type of categorization, and depth of interpretation. The population for this study consisted of all 48 seventh graders at the University of Northern Colorado Laboratory School in Greeley (Colorado). According to their cognitive level ratings from the Burney Logical Reasoning Test, the students were classified as concrete, transitional, or formal thinkers. Four students were randomly chosen from each cognitive level category to take the LATCF. Eight of the twelve students tested using the LATCF received a rating identical with their rating on the Burney test. Of more importance was the ability to determine the nature of cognitive functioning through the anecdotes on the LATCF. The applicability of the findings to classroom teachers is discussed. The LATCF is contained in the appendix. (Author/MLF)