Library begins dog-reading program for kids
Published: May 29, 2006
Children and dogs have always been great playmates and companions. But now dogs have an added role — that of an educator.
The Hudson Valley Humane Society Visiting Pet Program is launching the “Paws for Reading” program. The mission is to improve literacy skills of children by having them read to registered therapy dogs that have been trained and tested for health, safety, skills and temperament.
“Paws for Reading” is an affiliate of Reading Education Assistance Dogs, or READ, which was launched in 1999 by Intermountain Therapy Animals in Utah. It is among the first comprehensive literacy programs built around the idea of reading to dogs, and the idea has spread throughout the country. There are 750 READ teams nationwide.
The program will be held at the New City Library between 10 a.m. and noon June 3 and will include one local team — Annie, a mixed-breed registered therapy dog, and Risa Hoag, Annie’s handler and a certified Humane Education Specialist. Children will sit on a special quilt for 15 minutes and will have a one-to-one read with Annie.
“Its one of those simple ideas,” said Hoag, a Nanuet resident. “Kids aren’t intimidated by animals. Children who may have difficulty in reading out loud in class or they may in general not like reading, for them reading to dogs is simple; it’s fun; it adds to the process. When the child is reading on a quilt with the dog’s head on their lap, all of a sudden the anxiety dissipates. It has had an amazing impact on children.”
The program is available only to children in kindergarten and first grade, though it may be expanded in the summer for older children, said Susan E. Schuler, head of children’s services at the New City Library. While the service is free, the Hudson Valley Humane Society hopes to use the event as a fundraiser to support the purchase of various READ materials, including uniform shirts, brochures, videos, stickers, bookmarks and animal-themed books.
Parents wishing to register their children for a reading session with Annie must sign a permission slip in advance at the library for a 15-minute slot either day. Priority will be given to Clarkstown residents.
“Children who are just learning to read need to practice,” Schuler said. “Reading to Annie allows them to do so in a secure and nonjudgmental way.”
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