|
Dogs – man’s best friend – proved to be the best friend of some young readers this school year.
Through a unique initiative designed to help struggling readers, Spring-Ford Intermediate School students read books to Lucky, a canine friend who was trained to serve as a therapy dog for the R.E.A.D. (Reading Education Assistance Dogs) program.
Seven students were selected to take part to help them develop fluency. They were given “dog house passes” to read with Lucky during their recess periods. Each time they finished a book, students received a paw print stamp on a card. Once they earned 10 paw prints, they received a prize, typically a book.
Lucky is a 7-year-old mixed breed (half yellow Labrador retriever and half chow chow) who was adopted from the Perkiomenville SPCA by Annie Voigt, a retired nurse who used to work at Spring-Ford Intermediate School. She became interested in R.E.A.D. after seeing a television report about the program, which was launched in November 1999 by Intermountain Therapy Animals (ITA) in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Voigt decided to go through the training program with Lucky at a Lansdale kennel, where Lucky was taught to follow various commands. The dog had to pass a test to become certified. The pair began working at Spring-Ford last fall.
A very calm and friendly dog, Lucky was always eager to snuggle in with the students and listen to a story, especially since he knew he would be treated to a McDonald’s cheeseburger on the way home, Voigt said.
“He puts his feet on or lies against the kids and they stroke him while they are reading,” she noted.
Voigt, who said she struggled as a student herself when learning how to read, said one of the best parts about allowing children to read to Lucky is that they don’t have to fee self-conscious about making mistakes.
“A dog won’t make fun of you,” she commented.
Wendy Taylor, a reading specialist at Spring-Ford who helped coordinate the program, said she saw positive results through the program. When Lucky “asked” students to read over the winter break in preparation for their next reading sessions, the students reported that they did read, while in the past they might not have done so, Taylor said.
“Students love the time they get to spend with Lucky,” Taylor remarked. “Through R.E.A.D., the students discover that reading can be enjoyable and relaxing and that it is an activity that they can look forward to, instead of dreading it. In the process, they improve their reading skills.”
R.E.A.D. is designed to help improve students’ communication and reading skills through the simple premise of reading to a dog. Some of the documented benefits of therapy with animals include lowering of blood pressure, increased relaxation and a tendency to forget about pain and limitations, according to ITA’s website, www.therapyanimals.org.
Almost 2000 volunteer therapy teams are participating in the program in 49 states, three Canadian provinces, England, Europe, Japan and more.
The idea that R.E.A.D. was “just another gimmick” was quickly dispelled, not only by the continuing excitement of children eager to participate, but also by the improvement in reading scores, attendance, behavior and social skills that parents and educators have observed. Several studies are underway to measure the impact of the program.
|