This study sought to determine how the English methods course is taught in Maryland colleges and to evaluate its effectiveness in preparing undergraduate English majors for their first years of teaching in Maryland schools. Questionnaires were completed by one methods teacher at each of 12 Maryland colleges, by one supervisor of beginning English teachers from each of 22 Maryland counties, and by 30 junior high and 32 senior high school beginning teachers of English. Supervisors gave higher ratings to needed skills than did beginning teachers and than methods teachers gave to skills stressed in their methods courses. Methods teachers gave higher ratings to stressed skills than did beginning teachers. Supervisors and methods teachers appear to agree that the beginning teacher needs competency in many skills. Methods teachers are then faced with the impossibility of adequately covering all these skills in one three-hour program. (Author/AA)