On Monday, April 10, kids gathered in the Albion District Library to read out loud to Tail Waggin’ Tutors’ therapy dogs. Children twelve and under were encouraged to sit with and read to German Shepherd brothers Jax and Nero. The library supplied dog-themed books for readers of all ages, including “Go, Dog, Go,” “Bark, George,” Magic Puppy, and more.
According to Jamie Bernard, head of Youth Services at the library, reading out loud to a dog helps children gain confidence in their reading abilities.
“It can be really scary to read aloud [to] your classmates or your parents, but a dog is not going to judge you,” said Bernard.
According to Therapy Dogs International, there has been an increase in excitement about reading, as well as higher reading scores, in children who have read to dogs. In addition to promoting reading confidence, the children also had a unique opportunity to spend time with the animals.
“A lot of kids in our town live in housing communities where you can’t have pets, so it’s kind of exciting too for them to hang out with a dog,” said Bernard.
Events like this one have been trending across the nation. It is a fuzzy and fun way to improve reading abilities and give some love to man’s best friend
Photo by Sarah Finn
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