Dogs help improve kids reading skills

[Guest guest]

Dogs help improve kids reading skills

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Last updated: Thursday August 12, 2010, 1:20 AM

BY TINA PAPPAS

Passaic Valley Today

STAFF WRITER

TOTOWA – These dogs really had a lot to bark about when it came to getting

kids into reading.

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Library has been running its ongoing summer " PAWS for

Reading " program. The popular program is a successful reading initiative that

brings together dogs and kids in a literary fashion.

" PAWS for Reading is a program where children read aloud to therapy dogs in

order to improve their reading and communication skills, " said Anne Marie

Shapiola, children's librarian. " Children read individually to trained therapy

dogs, accompanied by their handlers, in schools, libraries, or other settings

where they can feel comfortable and confident. A dog will not correct them or

make them feel awkward if they stumble and the idea is to instill confidence in

them as readers. Hopefully, it will get the children to go home and read to

their own pets if they own any, or inspire them to just read more. "

Ready to take part as good listeners for an afternoon's reading session at the

library were Riley, a 2-year-old Labradoodle owned by Ilene Handal, and Maggie,

a 3-year-old Newfoundland, owned by Link. Also on hand were a couple of

black Labrador Retrievers named Shadow, a 2-year-old owned by ie Andriani

and another named Jozy, an 8-year-old owned by Craig and ette .

Dog owners who want their dogs to become certified as therapy animals must have

their dogs pass through a series of training sessions from local certified

therapy training facilities, such as Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs Inc.,

based in Plains. There are also advanced level training courses, such as

the PAWS for reading basic training.

" It's very rewarding to see my dog Riley become such an integral part of helping

a child gain the confidence and desire to read more, " said Handal.

The " PAWS for Reading " program is affiliated with the Reading Education

Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) program, which began in the Salt Lake City Library in

November 1999.

" We have been a therapy group since 1993, " said Kathy Klotz, executive director

for the R.E.A.D program, a non-profit organization, based in Utah. " We bring

dogs to hospitals and care centers with patients of all ages and conditions. It

proved to be very beneficial and that's when we thought we should transfer those

benefits to children who are struggling with reading. "

According to Klotz, a pilot program was started at the Salt Lake City Library.

It was held for four Saturdays in a row and became very successful. In January

2000, the program was held at a nearby elementary school to visit with the same

kids that were struggling with reading week after week. Over one school year,

the children's reading level actually went up from one to two grade levels.

" Kids lined up to register for appointments, " added Klotz. " It became such a

runaway hit that we ended as a front page article in the Wall Street Journal.

The children who read to the animals get away from peer pressure and have

non-judgmental listeners and that makes a world of difference. "

According to recent reports, 68 percent of American school children are not

reading at their level when they reach fourth grade.

" This is the age where children need to be reading to learn as opposed to

learning to read and we feel this program really turns things around for them.

We're glad to see how the program has spun off and is now being held in many

different towns and cities all over the country. "

For more information, visit http://www.therapyanimals.org

[Guest guest]

Does anyone know if this works if you have your child read to his own dog? Why

would I need to take our dog to get trained with " advanced level training

courses " first? Kate

>

> Dogs help improve kids reading skills

> Thursday, August 12, 2010

> Last updated: Thursday August 12, 2010, 1:20 AM

> BY TINA PAPPAS

> Passaic Valley Today

> STAFF WRITER

>

> TOTOWA †" These dogs really had a lot to bark about when it came to getting

kids into reading.

>

> The Dwight D. Eisenhower Library has been running its ongoing summer " PAWS for

Reading " program. The popular program is a successful reading initiative that

brings together dogs and kids in a literary fashion.

>

> " PAWS for Reading is a program where children read aloud to therapy dogs in

order to improve their reading and communication skills, " said Anne Marie

Shapiola, children's librarian. " Children read individually to trained therapy

dogs, accompanied by their handlers, in schools, libraries, or other settings

where they can feel comfortable and confident. A dog will not correct them or

make them feel awkward if they stumble and the idea is to instill confidence in

them as readers. Hopefully, it will get the children to go home and read to

their own pets if they own any, or inspire them to just read more. "

>

> Ready to take part as good listeners for an afternoon's reading session at the

library were Riley, a 2-year-old Labradoodle owned by Ilene Handal, and Maggie,

a 3-year-old Newfoundland, owned by Link. Also on hand were a couple of

black Labrador Retrievers named Shadow, a 2-year-old owned by ie Andriani

and another named Jozy, an 8-year-old owned by Craig and ette .

>

> Dog owners who want their dogs to become certified as therapy animals must

have their dogs pass through a series of training sessions from local certified

therapy training facilities, such as Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs Inc.,

based in Plains. There are also advanced level training courses, such as

the PAWS for reading basic training.

>

> " It's very rewarding to see my dog Riley become such an integral part of

helping a child gain the confidence and desire to read more, " said Handal.

>

> The " PAWS for Reading " program is affiliated with the Reading Education

Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) program, which began in the Salt Lake City Library in

November 1999.

>

> " We have been a therapy group since 1993, " said Kathy Klotz, executive

director for the R.E.A.D program, a non-profit organization, based in Utah. " We

bring dogs to hospitals and care centers with patients of all ages and

conditions. It proved to be very beneficial and that's when we thought we should

transfer those benefits to children who are struggling with reading. "

>

> According to Klotz, a pilot program was started at the Salt Lake City Library.

It was held for four Saturdays in a row and became very successful. In January

2000, the program was held at a nearby elementary school to visit with the same

kids that were struggling with reading week after week. Over one school year,

the children's reading level actually went up from one to two grade levels.

>

> " Kids lined up to register for appointments, " added Klotz. " It became such a

runaway hit that we ended as a front page article in the Wall Street Journal.

The children who read to the animals get away from peer pressure and have

non-judgmental listeners and that makes a world of difference. "

>

> According to recent reports, 68 percent of American school children are not

reading at their level when they reach fourth grade.

>

> " This is the age where children need to be reading to learn as opposed to

learning to read and we feel this program really turns things around for them.

We're glad to see how the program has spun off and is now being held in many

different towns and cities all over the country. "

>

> For more information, visit http://www.therapyanimals.org

>