Therapy dogs to help students with reading confidence

WSMV

By Brendan Tierney

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    MURFREESBORO, Tennessee (WSMV) — A new program expanding across Tennessee is trying to help students feel more relaxed and confident with reading ahead of the TCAP exams.

Sixty percent of third graders in the state faced being held back last year because of their test scores. The Reading Paws program is using therapy dogs to help in the classroom.

Northfield Elementary School has been using the program for the past couple of years. Leaders said they’ve seen better attendance and reading scores since bringing in dogs to help students learn to read.

Around once per week, students take time aside from their full classes to read to therapy dogs. The goal is to allow them to read out loud without worrying about judgment from classmates.

“Students are excited to read, and they practice their books,” teacher Melissa Lubash said. “‘I’m going to read this book to Lucas or General. I am going to read this book to them today.’ They practice and their faces light up and they are so excited to go and just read. Their whole outlook has changed.”

The program was started as a partnership between the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Foundation and Therapy ARC who have seen the difference dogs can make in improving reading confidence.

Right now, they use a handful of volunteer handlers who bring their dogs to schools, hospitals and other organizations. Handler Kim McIntyre said they get a lot more requests than they can staff, but he tries to visit as many students as possible.

“They can feel comfortable, relaxed reading to the dog, and not have to worry about any of their classmates snickering because they don’t know a word,” McIntyre said. “They just get the opportunity to read one-on-one to the dog.”

A new $12,000 grant is being used to train and certify 13 new dog teams in Middle Tennessee that will help cover even more classrooms in the Nashville area.

“Everybody across the state of Tennessee, once they see the impact this has in our public schools, is going to want to help,” TVMF board member and retired veterinarian Donnie Headrick said. “[The students] are not nervous. It helps them to focus, and by doing that, whatever task they are trying to accomplish, it’s easier to do. With reading, it relaxes them enough where they can read better.”

Third-grade student Nico Travis said he feels more comfortable reading after practicing with dogs. On the TCAP, he plans to just envision that he has a dog sitting next to him.

“It makes me feel good because I have something that is with me,” second-grade student Harper Strickland said. “If someone likes dogs, well you get to read to a dog. That is super fun!”

Reading Paws plans to expand to Chattanooga, Knoxville and Memphis this spring.

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