An investigation of the procedures used to assign students to remedial oral communication instruction

Currently the majority of students receiving remedial oral communication instruction in American Colleges and universities are assigned to such instruction based primarily upon their scores on standardized aptitude and achievement tests. The relationship between deficits in oral communication skills and standardized test scores has not been demonstrated. This investigation focused upon: 1.) the measurement of oral communication skill deficits, and 2.) the relationship between those deficits and standardized test scores. The relationship was statistically significant but whether or not the relationship is definite enough to permit assignment based only upon standardized test scores warrants further consideration