The focus of this paper is on how children use print, or literate language, in school and how teachers can respond and work with children. Beginning with a literature review, the paper discusses language use and literate language development in young children, pointing out that children construct their experiences through using language, and that the uses of literate language are different from those of oral language. The paper then explores three areas--reading aloud/reading, children's narratives, and children's writing--and tells how aspects of language development, characteristics of literate language use, and literary development can be planned, observed, and recorded as they happen in classroom settings. (EL)