“What are all these Dogs Doing at School?”: Using Therapy Dogs to Promote Children's Reading Practice

Potential for the Role of School-Based Animal-Assisted Literacy Mentoring Programs

“…In encouraging the child to get to know and read to the dog, the focus is taken off the child"s skill deficit and re-directed towards showing the dog what he/she knows. For example, many animal-assisted literacy mentors suggest that when a child struggles with a word that they try to teach the dog the word together because the dog doesn"t know that word either (Jalongo, 2005). Although both the child and the adult likely know that it is not probable that the dog will actually learn the word, it is the redirection of focus off of the child"s own difficulties and the humour and fun of trying to teach a cuddly friend which adds an element of light-heartedness to the atmosphere.…”

“…training, and ongoing mentoring training as they become familiar with the program. Finally, parental support is necessary for animal-assisted literacy mentor programs to take place, particularly because children may have allergies to animals, may be fearful of animals, or may not be allowed to touch animals due to cultural or religious reasons (Friesen, 2009;Jalongo, 2005;R.E.A.D., 2007).…”

Well-being and human-animal interactions in schools: The case of "Dog Daycare Co-Op"

“…Secondly, small-scale research about the use of therapy dogs in early childhood settings confirmed many positive impacts, ranging from gains in literacy development among reluctant readers (Francis, 2009;Friesen, 2009Friesen, , 2010Jalongo, 2005;Jalongo, Astoria & Bomboy, 2004) to positive, pro-social classroom behavior when dogs were present (Anderson & Olson, 2006;Beetz, 2013;Kotrschal & Ortbauer, 2003;McNicholas & Collis, 2000). Similarly, Beetz (2013) reported a growing trend in Europe of teachers bringing their dogs into classrooms, and her research pointed to various social interaction benefits within those classrooms.…”

“…In dog-supported literacy programs like READ, children read to the therapy dogs in schools and libraries with no adult intervention as a means of practicing literacy. Children who were already struggling with reading tended to take more risks (for example, sounding out difficult words) when reading to a dog rather than a person, thus helping them to build reading proficiency and vocabulary (Jalongo, 2005). While only documented anecdotally, the pleasure and excitement that the children derived from working with dogs may contribute to more positive attitudes towards reading and literacy.…”

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy: An Emerging Trauma-Informed Intervention

“…In these cases, the presence of the animal is theorized to provide a social buffer that maximizes the effect of the intervention (O'Haire et al, 2015). Children, for example, have been found to read more fluently when a dog is present (Jalongo, 2005). Horses are often included in animal-assisted activities and therapies, especially miniature breeds, for many of the same reasons (McCullough, RisleyCurtiss, & Rorke, 2015).…”