A review of writing and reading competencies among college students in general and education majors in particular indicates possible directions in setting teacher education admission standards, in providing language instruction courses for student teachers, and in establishing criteria for exiting teacher education programs. As is suggested by falling college entrance examination scores, the small amount of written work demanded by most colleges, and many college students' reluctance to write, many colege students are often deficient in writing and reading skills. Recent research has shown that the majority of students seeking admission to certain teacher education programs were writing at or below the ninth grade level on the Fry Readability Scale, while education majors' reading competency scores declined from 1967 to 1977, especially among prospective elementary school teachers. Studies of practicing teachers' reading competencies have indicated mediocre to poor results in comparison to those of college freshmen. Other investigations have shown that the quantity and quality of leisure and professional material read by teachers was low. In an effort to upgrade the teacher force, competency testing for initial teacher certification has been initiated in many states. (MM)