Included in the Pennsylvania State University teacher education program for secondary school teachers is a requirement that students demonstrate ability to read, write, and speak effectively in professional situations. The basic assessment procedure in these skills is conducted before the student teaching experience. The assessment includes three parts: (1) the Nelson-Denny Reading Test; (2) the Criterion-Referenced Test of Reading/Writing Competence (CRT); and (3) a videotaped speaking assessment. The development and implementation of these procedures is described, and information is given on: (1) how the Nelson-Denny Reading Test is administered and scored; (2) reading objectives established by the CRT (understanding the professional vocabulary, ability to answer literal level comprehension questions, ability to answer inferential level comprehension questions, and ability to interpret information from tables); (3) the rating system used in scoring the CRT; (4) the methods of rating and evaluating the videotaped speeches; and (5) the results of the assessments and evaluation of their reliability and validity. Some discussion is included on the test scores of the university's prospective teachers. A discussion is also presented on conclusions drawn from the demonstrated reliability and validity of the assessment procedures. (JD)