Research found that reading aloud to a canine listener for 10 weeks can improve a child’s reading skills by as much as 12 percent.
“One of the biggest stumbling blocks to a child’s success in reading out loud is the fear that someone will laugh when the reader makes a mistake,” said Jennifer Jones, a librarian at Capitol Hill Library. “Trained therapy dogs are nonjudgmental and comforting.”
Capitol Hill Library, 334 S.W. 26th, will conduct two “Children Reading to Dogs” sessions at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12.
“Like any other skill, it takes practice to master reading aloud,” Jones said. “Kids who practice with a dog friend build their self confidence and their ability to complete homework assignments and participate at school.”
For more information or to register, call 606-3245.
This article appears in Feb 9-15, 2011.