Yes, but reading is <i>the</i> single skill with the highest payoff, when it comes to learning things that let you learn more things. Why give the kid a fish, if you can teach her how to catch her own?<p>(Again, as in my other comment, I feel it worthwhile to point out that this isn&#x27;t a purely theoretical discussion for me: I was myself taught to read at age two, and have never been other than glad of it.)