读写萌发（英语：Emergent literacy），是一种新的教育发现，指在幼儿能在正式接受读写教育前，显露出对读及写的兴趣及能力。

过去，一般学者都认为幼儿是在接受正式读写教育后，才学会识字及写字。Sulzby及其他提出读写萌发的学者，透过实地观察幼儿的发展，发现幼儿会在语文丰富的情境底下，自然的发展出对语言及文本的兴趣，并尝试涂鸦式的书写。因此读写萌发这个新概念的提出，拓展了人们对读写发展的看法。

Emergent literacy is a term that is used to explain a child's knowledge of reading and writing skills before they learn how to read and write words. It signals a belief that, in literate society, young children—even one- and two-year-olds—are in the process of becoming literate. Through the support of parents, caregivers, and educators, a child can successfully progress from emergent to conventional reading.