Defining prereading skills, discussing their discovery, and determining their value in reading readiness are the primary concerns of this paper. Prereading skills are defined by logical analysis of the reading task and by instructional conventions. From an analysis of initial reading tasks, prerequisite skills are identified. Those skills which are found lacking in a high percentage of children at the time they would encounter prereading instruction are selected for inclusion in a prereading program. Through this procedure at least three specific visual skills and two sound skills have been identified in a number of studies. Direct instruction in the specific skills seems to be required to ensure mastery, as children who are deficient in them generally will not acquire the skills through maturation or general readiness instruction, or discovering them on their own. Furthermore, since skill deficit patterns are not predictable, individualized programs are required for efficient instruction. Further research is necessary to determine the effectiveness of the prereading skills approach to reading readiness. (Author/LL)