The Language Shaping Paradigm (LSP) is designed to help improve student language and comprehension by evoking a sample of language and aiding students in a critical review of their personal patterns of language, comprehension, and thought. The basic teaching strategy is built upon having students read essays written or dictated by classmates. Each time the method is used a student's essay is treated as an important work, edited, and reproduced with accompanying exercises designed to improve reading comprehension, language usage, and creative writing. The lesson format provides several benefits: the writing samples represent the levels of interest and language sophistication of the class, students read with more interest when they know the writer, students seem to write carefully for this exercise, and those who read and edit the writing of others may benefit from social-emotional bonds. The Language Shaping Paradigm method appears to relieve certain inhibitions to language production and review and provides a purpose for writing. The LSP is especially useful with adults at the basic education level, with students in vocational training programs, with students for whom English is a second language, and for students with reading problems. (A step-by-step procedure list and sample student exercises are included.) (MKM)