Reading is a fundamental skill that usually begins at an early age and is at the heart of success. It is complex and achieved developmental milestones vary among children.
An “a-ha moment” was not lost on the human service organization known as Intermountain Therapy Animals, which train, certify and register people with their animals who are qualified to be therapy animals. ITA volunteers visit places such as schools, hospitals and libraries.
The concept of taking the dogs and letting the children read to them led to the R.E.A.D. (Reading Education Assistance Dogs) program.
Realizing the mission at hand was more than the Salt Lake City office could handle, Merilee Kelley took on the Southeast affiliate group and named it READing Paws. The organization covers Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama and Nevada. Chairman Kelley provides support by lining up various facilities with handlers and their dogs.
“It’s all voluntary for the libraries, the bookstores and the boys and girls clubs,” she said. “At the schools, the teachers are usually the ones with the counselors, the principal and the literacy coach or the reading specialist, who choose the children who they think could benefit the most from individual one-on-one reading with the dog even for a short period of time whether it be for reading assistance or those needing some social or emotional support. We put them in an individual setting where they are teaching the dog how to read.”
Each dog is groomed before arriving with their handler and how to treat dogs is discussed. Kelley notes that many kids only know street dogs so there is another side of education outside of the literacy or social/emotional context.
“It is always a discussion when they come in in the morning and there’s my lab who is going to sniff their breath, like bacon, sausage and so I have them check Cari’s teeth to make sure that she did a good job brushing. Then you get that kid who says ‘Oh, I forgot to brush my teeth this morning’,” she added. “Then next week you’ll hear them running down the hall into the room and the first thing they do is show the dog their teeth because they remembered to brush their teeth.
As each child reads, “The dog has lots of questions about the book or the word or the sentence. The child can explain to the dog what that word might be and how to pronounce it. They turn into the teacher for the dog. They make their own conversation with the dog. We step in to help when it is needed,” the chairman stated.
The weekly practice continues throughout the school year or until the child catches up with the reading level or goals that the teacher has established.
In addition to schools in metro Atlanta, READing Paws takes place in the Milton library, Northside, Roswell and Sandy Springs. There are also some summer camps.
“This program has been such an amazing asset to our entire school community! Not only do the kids love seeing a dog in the hallways, but the adults and teachers benefit as well. Just petting a dog for a moment in the hallway can reduce stress and lower blood pressure. We have tracked yearlong student data, and 100% of the students participating in the Reading PAWS program have made gains/progress toward their academic goals,” wrote High Point Elementary K-2 Literacy Coach Lindsey Hayes in an email.
For more information, visit https://readingpaws.org/
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