Individualized instruction is discussed as a means of making ESL instruction effective for all students. This instruction should be based on the student's past experience and present needs, information that can be gathered into a student profile. Practical suggestions for kindergarten through grade 6 include bringing the individual's home, background, ethnicity, etc., into focus in the classroom, and creating small groups based on common interest. Suggestions for grades 7 through 13 include individual research projects and games for two players. Suggestions for adults include working on legal documents, official forms, etc., according to the students' individual needs, and creating dialogues in pairs. It is emphasized that the success of these and other activities depends on the choice of certain students for specific tasks and on the number of times a particular grouping is used for each student. These decisions should be based on information in the student profile. (AM)