G'morning Vern,

 VH> Reading is a cognitive skill.  It is, in fact, the classic example of a
 VH> cognitive skill.

Right on...

 VH> Small children can be taught symbology -- which is a component of
 VH> reading skills.

As per Doman & Doman's work and books on infants ... but we also 
know that neonate discriminative learning assembles perceptual 
constancies at unholy rates - enabling the young brain to 
discriminate triangles from squares and circles, for example, as 
early as 3 months.

Indeed, the rate and amount of learning at this time will never be 
equalled in later life - amd most of it without being noticed by 
adults. I believe that it is at this time that adults make or 
break reading in their children.

 VH> By learning that symbols have meaning, they are
 VH> partially there.  Singing the alphabet song is also a preparatory
 VH> skill.

There's an excellent guide titled "Learning FUNdamentals" by Rose 
& Dryden out of Greenwich Editions (ISDN 0-86288-747-X) which 
explores useful activities like this for infants ... but again 
overlooks guidelines for neonates.

I think I might have to scour Greek mythology for some suitable 
term to encapsulate the wretched phenomena...

Miles.


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