This paper presents the results of a survey conducted with first year Education students at a Queensland university on the levels of competency in literacies expected for teachers in schools. Eight aspects were chosen to be examined to discover the skill levels students thought to be essential for effective teaching and to compare these with their estimation of their own skill level; spelling and grammar competency rated the highest, ICT/computing and visual aspects the lowest for teachers. Students rated their own spelling competency at the highest level and knowledge of genre the lowest. They were asked how they intended to develop their competency skill whilst undergoing teacher training; the written comments were analysed phenomenographically exposing students' conceptions of skill development as occurring through discrete and concrete experiences and processes of study, learning, and practise. There is no acknowledgement of the influence of the contextual knowledge in which competencies are founded.