Despite the widespread acknowledgement of the importance of high levels of literacy, national reports in Sweden show a decrease in all types of students' literacy abilities. Several studies also repost dysfunctional teaching in reading and writing. This article is based on the assumption that changing the way educators teach reading and writing requires changing the way they understand the context of reading and writing. The two studies discussed here examined a group of students' prefferd literacy practices and the literacy pracices promoted by the national curriculum. The article focuses on the potential benefical interaction between students' everyday literacy practices and the formal literacy practices promoted by schools. Additionally, classroom talk as an important part of constructing literacy is discussed.