Click on the pictures to find out more about the R.E.A.D.® program!
1. What exactly is the R.E.A.D.® program?
The mission of the R.E.A.D.® program is to enhance children’s
love of reading
through the use of therapy animals.
2. How does the R.E.A.D.® program work?
It’s very simple. We go to a quiet spot in the library or school
and have the kids choose a book. Oftentimes they will choose a book because
they think that Kizzy will like it! We settle down on a blanket, chat a
little and the child starts reading. The possibilities are endless. The child
is not embarrassed or self conscious. Kizzy is trained to look at pictures on
command, or help turn a page with his paw or nose!
3. What
are the benefits of the R.E.A.D.® program?
The child is usually petting and stroking the dog while he/she
is reading. Sometimes kids who are learning to read get stressed, not
because they aren’t capable of reading, but sometimes because they get nervous
and self-conscious, they worry about making mistakes, they worry about looking
dumb-and all those worries make it hard to focus. When they read to a dog, almost immediately they start to relax,
and then they forget about feeling self-conscious or nervous. Before they know
it they are enjoying the experience of reading instead of dreading it, they’re
even looking forward to the next time.
