One of the neat things about working in a library now is that you get on email lists and find out about some really cool things. Today I found out about R.E.A.D., Reading Education Assistance Dogs. READ dogs are trained therapy dogs. They and their handlers go to schools and libraries and help children who have difficulty reading become better readers.
A child gets to spend about 20 minutes with the dog reading aloud to it. It is a fun, comforting, nonjudgmental, and no pressure experience for kids. They get to have contact with the dog and the dog lays beside them quietly while they read to it. The program has been hugely successful not only because kids like dogs but also because for many of them, their reading skills improve, sometimes dramatically.
The program is offered in my public library system where they call it “Paws to Read.” It has even caught on in Canada where they call it “See Spot Read.”
Isn’t it marvelous? Makes me wish my dog weren’t old, deaf and excitable so I could train him to be a therapy dog and get involved in the program. How fun would that be? I wonder if they need any therapy reading cats?
Wow, I’ve never heard of this program, but it sounds like such a great idea! I think reading aloud can be so stressful for little kids who are having trouble, but of course it’s essential to their fluency–so reading to a nonjudgmental dog sounds like just the ticket!
That is very cool! I don’t think it would work with cats—it’s supposed to be nonjudgmental, right?
How lovely is that? And why would reading to cats just not have the same non-judgemental vibes about it?
No that wouldn’t work with any of the cats I’ve known – they train me not me them. Anyway when I sit down to read my cat jumps up on my lap and pushes in front of the book to stop me!
[...] Reading to dogs: So Many Books tells us about the awesomeness of therapy dogs. [...]
I’ve not heard of this program before, but it sounds wonderful! I’ve seen therapy dogs in action in an Alzeimer’s facility; they were different breeds, but they all had calm, comforting, and loving personalities.
Do they have this in Britain? My friend is training her dog to take the therapy dog test soon as due to injury the big bouncy collie will not be able to run agility courses like they originally thought. This would be a fun extra course for them to take.
This is such a great program. We often take for granted our ability to read and enjoy books; however, there are many children and adults who have difficulty reading. I love to see literacy efforts like this. Thanks for the post and the links.
Muttboy has participated in the READ program before! He’s not doing it now because it doesn’t seem to be established locally, but for a while Hobgoblin took him to libraries so the kids could read to him. I was never part of the program myself, but I did take Muttboy to nursing homes (where he did a very good job trying to behave himself, even if he didn’t do it perfectly!). Going through the training to make him a therapy dog was a lot of fun.
Oh dear! Another senior moment as I read that the child spends 20 minutes with the dog reading to it (the child)and not the child reading to the dog!
Stopped me in my tracks for a moment although I do like the thought – rather magical, a bit like this excellent program.
This is great!
I doubt any of my cats would do the job though, they prefer reading by themselves, it has a soothing effect on them as they soon fall asleep…
This is truly wonderful.
I wish we could do that at our library!
Some of the libraries in my county are doing this. I think it’s really cool. I wish my daughter were old enough- I think she’d love it- but she’s not quite reading yet. I hope they still have this program when she’s bigger.
I love that!
I have the perfect reading-therapy cat. All she wants to do is sit on your lap and have your attention, so this would be great for her!
OMG I totally wish I had a dog and could do this!!
[...] Via So Many Books. [...]
That’s really sweet. I just picture big ol’ fat labs lying with their heads in the kids laps, staring up at them while they read.
It wouldn’t work with cats, though. My cat will curl up under the covers beside me if I read in bed, but she always seems irritated that I’m turning those pages instead of petting her.
If you hadn’t included the word “non-judgmental”, I would have laughed it off as silly, but that one word brought it all together. I can see that I will have to work hard to give my children a free ear that is not judgmental.
Gentle Reader, isn’t a great idea? And dogs don’t interrupt to correct the kids who probably get corrected a lot.
Sylvia, yeah you’re right. Cats and nonjudgmental don’t go together do they?
Litlove, lol, I’m sure I don’t know any judgmental cats
BooksPlease, I like how your cat offers opinions on your reading
Jenclair, isn’t it wonderful? I’ve seen therapy dogs at a hospital. They really do make a difference.
Jodie, I don’t know if they have the program in Britain. If not, maybe you could start one up?
Lisa, creative efforts at improving literacy are always wonderful to hear about especially when they are successful!
Dorothy, that is so cool that Muttboy has participated in the program!
Bob, now that would be really something for the dog to read to the child!
Em, that’s pretty funny. I like to read before I go to sleep too
Nan, whoever thought of it is a genius.
Melanie, maybe you can get one going at your library
Jeane, the program sounds successful, I bet it will be around for quite some time.
Carrie, isn’t it great? I would have loved reading to a dog when I was a kid.
Daphne, ah you do have the perfect therapy reading cat!
Cat, I like to prop my book up on my knees and my cats like to crawl under my knees. If I move, the claws come out. It’s incentive to keep reading
Bikkuri, I’m sure you will do just fine!
What a fun, darling and wonderful idea! I wonder if anyone has pics of the dogs being read to?