Emerging literacy is a vital concern not only for whole language enthusiasts but also for all concerned with helping each child extend his or her individual literacy development. By avoiding a traditional, behavioristic, reductionist, readiness-oriented classroom, the primary school teacher provides a greater opportunity for creating a natural learning environment. Such an environment supports children's emerging literacy by highlighting developmentally appropriate activities related to the importance of play. This play-oriented context sends a message to children that the teacher understands and respects who they are and also values what they can do. With this foundation established, the teacher can extend play in specific ways to promote children's individual literacy learning. Sociodramatic play, dramatic activities, shared reading, reading aloud, and immersion are only a sampling of the creative ways in which a caring, knowledgeable teacher can support children's individual literacy learning. These and other developmentally appropriate activities must be a major part of the primary school classroom so that children are free to grow and develop in natural ways. (Forty references are attached.) (RS)