Just as an aside, in researching early reading one time I ran across a informal article on Down's syndrome kids that were taught to read using a flash card sight word method. They did gain a vocabulary, questionable whether at the age of 3 it was understood too or just a read-only vocabulary. But years later in later elementary school, the kids were at grade level or near it in reading when they lagged far behind in every other subject. At that later age they did have comprehension also. The possession of a vocabulary of sight words promoted their reading abilities later. Perhaps just gave them a way in to have memorized the word early on, link it with a meaning later?... not sure. Reading was a source of emotional pride for them, one single area where they were considered not very different from many other kids. The ones who did the early program were more likely to be in mainstream classes. It made it sound like a very good idea for any seriously delayed toddler, assuming it could be done without tears on the part of the kid.
This is fascinating. I wonder if any formal studies on that subject have been done. Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for sharing.
