Archive for March, 2009

The purpose of this programme is to improve the literacy skills of children who were reading below chronological age and as spaces on literacy programmes are limited, this programme offered a solution to the problem.

How does this programme work?
Children and dog bond together over a shared story. The children’s confidence and reading skills grow in a relaxing environment. It’s that simple.

Children who might be hesitant, embarrassed, or shy about their reading abilities feel at ease around a dog that is just there to listen to the story and not there to judge how well he or she reads. Research from around the world tells us that children become more confident in reading and therefore cope better with classroom tasks.

Reading Dogs assist children who are struggling to develop that skill. Adults do not always have the time to sit and listen to their child’s hesitant efforts. If they correct a child too often he or she loses confidence. The child can read to the dog who just listens very patiently. Slowly but surely he or she regains confidence and his or her reading progressively becomes more fluent.

Reading to Miss Molly
Children come to Room 9 and read to Miss Molly four times weekly.
Initially, children would read one or two books reluctantly but as they realised nobody was critiquing their reading, children started reading five to ten books in a session.
According to one child, “Miss Molly tells me the words I don’t know.”
How does she do this? “She tells me to read across the sentence to see if I can make out the word or she tells me to sound out the sounds of letters.”
From teaching sessions with the teacher this child is learning relevant reading skills and is developing the confidence to use them when reading to Miss Molly.

Teachers of children coming to read to Miss Molly are reporting a change of attitude to reading in class. “He comes back from reading to Miss Molly just buzzing. During guided reading sessions he is keen to contribute ideas and he is making good book choices from the library and during SSR.”

Success of the programme
The success of the programme needs to be measurable. However, the current reading ages of the children reading to Miss Molly are the result of a combination of strategies being used on this group – targeted reading skills during guided sessions in class, opportunities to read, getting parents on board, guided reading sessions four times weekly and some of the children are now on other support programmes. Children report they love reading to Miss Molly and even confident, fluent readers sneak times to read to her. Teachers report improved attitudes to reading, growing reading confidence and improved reading ages.
A sideline of the programme is the playground social interaction between quieter, loner children who now congregate together and walk Miss Molly on a daily basis.

About Molly
Molly is a six year old golden retriever. She is an extremely placid, tolerant dog who just loves children. She loves her food too! She is well known around her home neighbourhood and visits neighbours regularly, often in the hope of a food treat or two. Molly is a true water dog and swims in any body of water she finds – clean or muddy – she doesn’t mind which can result in her becoming very smelly. She is a loyal, lovely animal.