Philosophical and methodological differences exist regarding how best to instruct and encourage young children to read and write. In America, teaching reading and writing to young children has always been an area of controversy and debate, and it remains so today. The purpose of this digest is to review various studies and to identify essential elements of effective early literacy classroom instruction. The digest first discusses phonemic awareness instruction as a precursor for teaching reading and writing. It then considers the benefits of positive adult-child relationships and the necessity of a print-rich environment. The digest states that the early childhood curriculum should be filled with integrated language explorations and with reading and writing activities. It also suggests that teachers should vary teaching strategies according to children's needs. The digest concludes that when children are encouraged to learn independently, and when teachers, parents, and communities work together to build optimal environments for that learning, children's success in reading and writing can be expected. (NKA)