1. Introduction; Part I. Literacy Acquisition: the Child, the Family and Diversity in the Modern World: 2. Literacy acquisition in the early years: past, present and future; 3. When should children start learning literacy? Issues about ages and stages; 4. Family literacies and relationships with centres and schools; 5. Multiliteracies: growing the next generation of readers; 6. Diverse classrooms and learning in bilingual and multicultural/multilingual settings: issues, challenges and evidence; Part II. Learning about Literacy in Early Childhood Settings: 7. Early childhood settings: evidence on effective practice and the role of teachers in supporting literacy; 8. 'Sound' foundations for learning literacy; 9. Uses of assessment before, during and after transition to school; Part III. Literacy Learning in the Primary School: 10. The first year of primary schooling: building on foundations; 11. Establishing a community of readers; 12. The uses of assessment in the junior school years; 13. The reciprocal relationship between reading and writing in the junior and senior school: research on effective practice and the role of the teacher; Part IV. Literacy Learning in the Senior School: 14. Extending reading and writing in the senior school: moving beyond functionality; 15. Struggling readers: issues and solutions to a problem we have created in schools; 16. Conclusion.