This chapter highlights significant changes in elementary literacy education in Korea. Initially, English was introduced as a special activity in 1982 and became a regular subject by 1997 in elementary schools. Early curricular focused on oral skills, leading to an imbalance between spoken and written language skills. The author of this chapter presented the process of innovating literacy education in elementary English education, focusing on the results of her various literature-based collaborative studies with elementary English teachers. First, phonics, which became the turning point of elementary English literacy education, showed that it is possible to use easy picture books with rhymes. Furthermore, various literature-based studies have demonstrated the possibility of integrating reading-based listening, speaking, and writing, and that the shift from “learning to read” to “reading to learn” is possible in elementary English education. Other collaborative studies fostered a comprehensive approach to literacy education, ensuring that materials and methods were appropriate for learners’ cognitive and language levels in which learners fostered creativity, enhanced critical thinking, and improved problem-solving abilities. These innovations reflect a shift towards a more balanced approach to literacy education, preparing students for future societal needs by enhancing their communicative competencies and empathetic understanding through literature-based instruction.