by Patricia Albers

Created on: August 13, 2008   Last Updated: September 20, 2010

How to Encourage Your Child to Read

R.E.A.D., an acronym for Reading Education Assistance Dogs, is an educational program with a unique twist; children improve crucial reading skills by reading aloud to trained therapy dogs. The program's mission is to encourage reading among children and develop existing skills in a relaxed, fun environment. Although skeptics may not readily accept the mixture of children and animals to promote reading, the success of R.E.A.D.is not only encouraging, it is phenomenal. The national America Reads program notes that "40% of fourth graders read below their grade level, and that children who don't master reading by the third grade risk falling further behind." Bill Moyers captures the essence of the program's success "it pierces the mundane to arrive at the marvelous."

The marvelous is arrived at by extensive training for both the animals and the owners/handlers. R.E.A.D is an exercise in teamwork. Each team has a canine member and a human member who work together with the children. Not all dogs are suited for the program however; health, temperment and trainability are the key qualifiying features for participation. The human component of the team must possess certain qualities too; they must like to work with children, love reading and have good reading skills themselves.
Training is usually accomplished through the Delta Society's Pet Partner Program. The Delta Society is the only nationwide organization that trains humans along with the dogs and requires re-testing every two years. There are local affiliate organizations that award certification after completion of two eight-week courses. Upon completion of the course, dog and handler teams are ready to go out and work with the children.

Many of the children who participate in the program are low income or otherwise disadvantaged; some have never experienced the joy of stress-free reading. When a child is able to sit on the floor next to a happy, calm, cuddly dog and read without fear of critisism, a new world opens up for them. If they get stuck on a word they don't have to worry about embarrassment in front of their fellow students. The teams make up individual reading stations with plenty of room between each station which allows the children to read comfortably in a small setting. Parents may sit with the children but most of the interaction is between the animal and the child which increases the child's level of confidence and enthusiasm resulting in self-improvement.

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