R.E.A.D. programme (Reading with Paws)
Reading Education Assistance Dogs is a licensed programme registered with Intermountain Therapy Animals USA. It is a unique programme, which helps children to improve their reading and communicative abilities with the aid of a special method: the child reads to a dog. Dogs in the R.E.A.D.® programme are trained therapy dogs, who together with their handlers visit schools, libraries and other institutions as listeners to children while they read.
Types of R.E.A.D.® programme:
- in libraries it is motivational, instructive and entertaining; it takes place once a week or a month; goals are not specifically set (AAA – Animal Assisted Activity);
- in schools it takes place in cooperation with a professional worker, who accompanies and documents the progress. Goals are set (AAT – Animal Assisted Therapy).
In our Society we have named this programme “Reading with paws”. It is carried out by therapy pairs (i.e. dogs with their handlers) who are additionally trained for this work. Reading in their company is exciting and something special. The more entertaining and relaxing the reading is, the greater is the child’s interest.
The dog is a wonderful friend in reading because:
- he helps to achieve relaxation,
- he listens attentively,
- he doesn’t judge, criticize or laugh,
- he allows the child to read at his own pace,
- he doesn’t arouse fear as classmates do.
The dog’s handler is a trained moderator, who with the dog’s help encourages and directs the reader’s activity, cooperates in the reading and helps with understanding the text being read.
The success of the programme:
In children who read to a dog, progress is often observed in many fields. They become better readers, forget their limitations in reading, understand the text they’ve read more easily and can talk about it. When they relax, they are more self-confident, and later have fewer difficulties when reading before their classmates. In this way they also acquire better social skills, are less vulnerable, and more easily join in other activities. Because of their pleasant experience they happily reach out for new books.
