In the Netherlands, explicit beginning reading instruction usually starts in grade one. The children learn grapheme-phoneme correspondences, blending, and phonemic analysis. However, some children experience difficulties in beginning reading that the existing educational procedures are not adequate to resolve. One possible solution being implemented is the Prevention of Reading Difficulties Project, which precludes reading difficulties by predicting the at-risk children, assessing their expected difficulties, and teaching reading in such a way that reading difficulties do not occur. To provide some scientific basis for the project, three separate studies will be conducted: (1) a longitudinal study consisting of description of the development of reading ability in grades one to three, with special attention to at-risk children; (2) an explorative study providing a detailed description of the development of relevant aspects of the reading process in grade one by comparing at-risk children with other children; and (3) a study that will categorize the various tasks that constitute reading, relate distinct tasks to the results of the first two studies, and evaluate ways in which this strategy and the tasks can be used in ordinary schools. Thus far, four reading readiness tests have been identified to predict at-risk children--visual-letter perception, blending, phonetic analysis, and auditory discrimination. The assessment and the actual prevention of reading disabilities will be the next steps of the project. (HOD)