The effectiveness of "preferred interest" materials in adult reading classes was tested by comparing pretest and posttest scores for the silent reading subtest of the Standard Reading Inventory. The study collected data for 20 adults that received reading instruction by traditional teaching methods (large group arrangement and commercial texts/kits) and for 20 adults that received individualized instruction, during which the teacher developed materials and activities that matched the students' reading and learning preferences. (All subjects had been classified previously as reading below the fourth grade levels.) Pretest and posttest mean scores for silent reading comprehension indicate greater reading achievement for the preferred interest group. Analysis of variance between groups was significant at the .05 level, indicating that students using interest oriented materials recalled information and interpreted word meanings in context better than did students in the traditional instructional setting. (RL)