See children exploring and strengthening their reading and writing skills as they move towards becoming skillful users of language. Veteran teachers define and discuss the meaning of "emergent literacy", and model speaking, reading and writing for their students. Viewers see children's growing understanding of print and symbols as young students use letters to write their names, point to particular words, recognize words and pictures in books, and sound out words while they write them down.

We show children retelling favorite stories from memory. They learn to differentiate between writing and drawing, and to use their writing to communicate with others, even if they cannot write conventionally. Samples of children's writing are illustrated: from scribbling to creative spelling. Finally, children are shown incorporating literacy in their play.