Reading Paws: Dogs in the classroom

Isabelle the Poodle is not only a champion show dog and a winner in agility trials, her top accomplishment is as a reading dog.

Isabelle and her owner Debbi Cole are members of Reading Paws, an organization dedicated to improving reading skills of elementary students by using therapy dogs.

There are more than 80 teams of dogs and owners in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee The students feel more comfortable reading to dogs than they do reading to people. Sometimes they tell the teachers that when they have to read out loud in class they pretend they’re reading to a dog.

Once a week Isabelle comes into the classroom and listens quietly as the children improve their reading skills. The students look forward to the private time and the individual attention. As the students finish reading they reward Isabelle with a treat for being so patient.

Reading dogs have been successfully used with students from preschool through college age. Controlled studies show that the presence of a dog lowers the blood pressure of the readers and improves reading skills by measurable numbers.

Researchers measured students’ scores from the beginning of the school year to the end of the school year as compared to those students who didn't participate. The percentage rise is much greater when you introduce the dogs. More of the story

Comments

[rosemary]

Proof again of how an animal can change lives all for the better. I have said this in comments on your blog before, sorry for the repetition Jan....but the best thing I ever did was start a pet therapy program in the TCU I managed.

[Jackiesue]

hmm, people that own dogs have lower blood pressure...I bet people that own cats have homicidal tendecies..

[mb.]

many many many years ago, I was a Literacy Volunteer, working with adults who had emigrated from non-english speaking countries (& often could not read in their original language). I used to bring my cat to tutoring (my roommate could not be made to understand not to let/put him out at night so...).

To make it short, there was something about having that quiet, purring animal sitting with the people (all men, all older than me, all from cultures that made it hard to ask a young woman for help) that made it easier to pay attention to the work.

Aside from the tutor student relationship we often had NOTHING in common, but that cat bridged the gap.

[Shannon]

Dogs really are amazing! I had no idea!

[Jimmy]

Love the little pup with the reading glasses on.....adorable! Can't wait to read to my girls when I get them back!

[Khyra]

And I have one fur woo too:

http://www.whtm.com/news/stories/0209/596713.html

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra

[Big_Dave_T]

Who was the famous orator who practiced his speeches to hordes of seagulls to overcome his fear of speaking in public? Let me see if I can Google the answer . . .

Hmmmm, struck out. I swear I read that somewhere though.

[Wendy]

A brilliant idea.

[Blogdog]

A great story - always knew poodles were special!

[Chris]

It's amazing how animals can get through to kids when no one else can. My niece is autistic, and they use animals routinely in the therapy at her group home, and have the residents help with the care and feeding of the animals. It always brings a smile to their faces.

[Col]

Reminds me of one of my favourite quotes:
"Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.”

[Saint Lover]

Dogs never cease to amaze me! Their contribution as companions know no bounds! Eat crow peta!

[Bibliopet]

I would love to send you a free copy of my book "Beef Casserole for the Dog's Soul, a treasury of barkalicious stories to read to your dog" for you and the beautiful Isabelle to try out with the children.

It occurred to me only last week that an unforeseen benefit of the book - which is written especially for dogs and to be read aloud to dogs - was that it would help children learn to read by reading stories aloud for the entertainment of their (or any) dog.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the book and how successful it is in helping children as well as dogs.

You might be interested to hear there is also a new scheme in the UK "Read and Relax" organised by the RSPCA which uses volunteers to read to dogs to help their rehabilitation.

Please email me via my site or directly: petalove@bibliopet.com with your postal address and I will get Beef Casserole for the Dog's Soul in the mail to you.

[Bibliopet]

Oops sorry, I meant to say that I laughed when I saw that Isabelle gets a treat at the end of a story - most of the 19 stories in Beef Casserole for the Dog's Soul end with a treat and if not, a trick, cuddle or walk etc. So the dog is rewarded.

You can see a preview of the book, and read the first story at: http://www.blurb.com/books/753790

[abel.dallas4@gmail.com]

Nice post.People that own dogs have lower blood pressure...I bet people that own cats have homicidal tendecies..

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[k.d]

she is an amazing dog!!! if she is the the podle that came in to my friends shop today..i was her personal bather and was extremely impressed with her appearence as well as demeanor!!! being a standard poodle owner i appreciate isabelle in every way!!!!

[reading glasess]

That is cute. I would like my pet to join this "reading paws". I think it doesn't only make my dog happy, but I think it will help alot of students.