The Language Experience Approach (LEA) is a particularly effective means of increasing the motivation and reading skills of students enrolled in adult basic education classes. A form of personalized rather than individualized instruction, the LEA is designed with the personal needs of a specific student or group of students in mind. The LEA is a student-centered approach to teaching and improving reading that uses the student's own experiences and interests as the subject of the reading material. Key to the LEA are student-developed materials and role-playing activities. During the course of these role playing activities, the following areas are addressed: word attack skills, basic vocabulary, comprehension skills, and thinking/problem-solving strategies. Increases in student reading scores as a result of the LEA have been impressive, with comparison of pre- and posttest reading comprehension test scores indicating an average increase of 1.7 grade levels per 100 hours of instruction. Even more dramatic changes in classroom attendance and dropout reduction have occurred after adoption of the LEA. (MN)