A consideration of reading potentials could produce a more balanced outlook concerning the future of reading in our society. In working with students on the improvement of reading, we find that comprehension problems are often related to attitudes about language, facts, and accuracy that are opposed to the requirements of the learning situation. This is a humanistic problem. As a component of college and adult reading programs, some type of "language" dimension should be added to help students develop awareness and/or improvement in the following: language as language; reading as an aspect of the language system; language practice vs. language potential; and students' current language status. Programs should also be developed to help those students who arrive on the college campus with deficits unrelated to intellectual deficienceis, skills, or physical handicaps, as a relationship has been seen to exist between mental and emotional health and academic success. (LL)