The Essentials of Early Literacy Instruction is an article written by Kathleen A. Roskos, James F. Christie, and Donald J. Richgels which focuses on the importance of literacy instruction in early childhood education and how adults can best support young children’s language and literacy development. The authors emphasize that reading and writing are complex processes which require a combination of skills including speaking, listening and understanding grammar as well as familiarity with environmental print like labels or billboards.

Through their discussion they illustrate how literacy instruction should be approached differently depending on the age group; for example preschoolers should focus more on exploring books while school-age children are ready to learn phonics rules which will help them decode words when reading (Roskos et al 2016). Additionally it provides guidance for adults such as making sure all students have access to high quality literature, encouraging independent exploration of books during free time or providing opportunities for meaningful conversations about texts being read aloud (Roskos et al 2016).

In conclusion then, this article highlights the need for comprehensive early literacy instruction in order to prepare young children for successful learning later in life. It outlines key elements such as recognizing different skill levels among students and tailoring instruction accordingly as well as providing appropriate resources like high quality literature so that everyone has equal chance at developing their language capacities.