The 5 essentials are key components in fly casting mechanics, they are relevant to both single handed casting and spey casting and are there to help you understand mechanics and more importantly finding faults and cures. All casting faults with relate to one or often more of the 5 essentials. Our best advice is to find the fault with the easiest fix and focus on this first then move on to the next fault in play.
If beginners are introduced to the 5 essentials early on they will have an understanding of the casting mechanics and the learning process will speed up rapidly.
We like to print these off and offer as handouts on the second session which everyone can take home with them. Homework for another session...