Literacy consists of a variety of ways to understand and decode symbols for communication in a community (Barratt-Pugh & Rohl, 2000, p. 25). Emergent Literacy is a term used to describe the way young children interact with books, reading, and writing (What is Emergent Literacy, 2006, p.1). Emergent literacy is an ongoing process and to ensure this process is successful children need to be stimulated through active engagement with books and writing opportunities. Children begin to learn about and experiment with reading and writing in childhood, particularly when they begin to familiarize themselves with print media. From an early age, children are able to read and recognize signs such as fast food logos, etc. (Alleyne, ndp2) Furthermore, when young children are engaged in book reading and writing, their ability to learn literacy is improved. Teale and Sulzby (1989) pointed out that almost all children from literate families begin to develop reading skills. and writing from an early age through active engagement (Alleyne, ndp2). Reading aloud to children Children's stories never get old, they can be told over and over again. The more a child listens to a story, the more he or she comes to understand its meaning and purpose. Reading books to children is a means of demonstrating how to read and provides students with a model to follow when reading independently. (Barratt-Pugh & Rohl, 2000, p. 124-125). Parents play an important role in encouraging children to read and enabling them to become confident readers. Parents are aware of what motivates their children and can choose books that will stimulate their interest. Research shows that reading aloud to their children is essential for parents to be successfulf...... middle of paper ......or actively engage students in reading and writing in a daily block of 2 hours, these include: reading to children, shared reading, guided reading, modeled writing, shared writing and oral language. (Tackling Literacy, n.d.). In summary, children become proficient readers and writers through a wide range of engagements and experiences with books and writing opportunities. It is not only the responsibility of primary school teachers, but literary development should also be taken into consideration by early childhood workers and parents. Research has shown that children from low socioeconomic backgrounds have lower literary skills and knowledge. This is due to the lack of printed materials available to them (Crawford, 2003). This once again demonstrates the importance of engaging children with print media such as books and providing adequate opportunities to experiment with writing..