Literacy, the ability to read and write proficiently, is essential in almost every facet of modern life. Alarmingly, a staggering number of U.S. children are functioning below acceptable literacy levels. What can be done to remedy this situation? Teachers need the knowledge and skills to reach all children. This book covers the essentials of literacy learning and teaching in the early grades. The material is presented in a straight forward way and is intended for pre-service educators and new educators working in inclusive settings. In this book, literacy development is examined from multiple perspectives and includes information regarding language development, characteristics of students with special needs, phonological awareness, the alphabetic principle, word recognition, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, written expression, assessment and instructional strategies.