Cracking the Code: Scooby Teaches Herself to Read - Part II

Scooby: "Mom! What starts with 'Dog'?"

Humble: "Er...dogwood, doggerel, doggoneit..."

Scooby: "NO!" (SLOWLY AND LOUDLY, as one might speak to one who is not the sharpest tool in the shed) "What...starts....with...'Dog'!"

Humble: "Do you mean, what letter does 'Dog' start with?"

Is there anything more fascinating than watching a Man Cub learn language? She'd already read the word "dog", she just couldn't remember what the first letter was called!

Scooby has been a busy bee, poring over her books, muttering to herself, sounding out and figuring out words.

When she catches me reading, she pulls up a small chair, plunks herself down beside me and orders "Read!" in an imperious tone. Usually I will begin to drone on, reading my "Mommy book" out loud, and she will happily sit there, dressing and organizing her babies. If I stop (no matter how dry the subject matter) she will gesture impatiently and say "Read!"

A very interesting moment occurred the other day, when Scooby was standing transfixed in front of the stove. Suddenly she asked "What does "OFF" mean?"

She had successfully read the word printed on the stove knobs.

"Please turn the light off, take the dog's leash off, get that squid off the coffee table..." I offered.

You could almost see the electricity surging through her brain as the word she had known as a SOUND, became a word she knew as a BUNCH OF LETTERS.

"Oh! OFF!!" she cried ecstatically.

It's amazing.

HW