Methods used to diagnose a seven-year old boy's reading problems illustrate the fact that reading assessments based upon a reader's strengths and a reader's understanding and control of the process will provide information which is more useful to teachers and parents than that provided by the numerical results of standardized tests. After Andrew, the first grader being assessed at the Pupil Appraisal Center (University of North Texas), refused to complete the "Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests," the assessment shifted away from questions about what children his age should know to questions about what Andrew does know: what knowledge of the conventions of written language Andrew has; how he views himself as a reader; what he would like to improve about himself as a reader; what he believes reading is; what strategies he thinks are available to him as a reader; and which types of reading situations, if any, he approaches with confidence. These questions provided a basis for understanding Andrew's approach to reading and an opportunity for the clinician to approach Andrew in a positive way. Using such tools as a patterned language storybook, "The Reading Interview," and the "Concepts about Print Test," the clinician made several recommendations to Andrew's parents and teacher for the adoption of specific practices which should help Andrew become a more self-assured and adept reader. (Twelve references are attached.) (MHC)