A study was conducted to determine the reading level of students in a college remedial reading and writing class, the gains they made during a semester of instruction, the differences in gains made by students taking the remedial class alone and those taking that class and the normal basic composition course, and the differences in gains made by students taught by instructors of different academic levels. Subjects, 343 students taking both the remedial course and the basic composition course and 181 students enrolled only in the remedial course in the fall semesters of 1980 and 1981, were given the Nelson-Denny Reading test as a pretest and posttest. The pretest results indicated that both groups in both years read at approximately the mid-ninth grade level. Posttest results for both years also indicated average gains of 4 months for both groups. Students taught by new teaching assistants in small classes showed gains approximately double those taught by experienced teaching assistants, lecturers, or regular faculty. The results suggest using standardized tests to place students, creating and requiring special courses for students who read below grade level, employing computer-aided instruction and intensive laboratory work in these courses, and using teaching assistants to teach them. (JL)