The aim of this study is to explore the possible relationships between the readiness and reading and writing performances of a group of children who are first graders in an elementary school in Turkey. The states of children in terms of school readiness, sound-letter relationships, and phonemic awareness were determined individually during the first week of school. In order to assess the children's reading and writing performances, some tests were conducted at three different times throughout the process of initial reading and writing instruction. To explore whether there is a relationship between these variables, multiple linear regression statistics were used. Results confirm that readiness, school readiness in particular, is a significant factor in students' reading and writing performances. (Contains 2 tables.)