Children Love Reading to Dogs

Rita Greene/McDonald County Press Kate Cheney participates in the Read to a Dog program Friday, Sept. 16 offered by the McDonald County Library in Pineville. The certified Therapy Dogs were provided by Joe and Carolyn Kozlosky of McDonald County.
Rita Greene/McDonald County Press Kate Cheney participates in the Read to a Dog program Friday, Sept. 16 offered by the McDonald County Library in Pineville. The certified Therapy Dogs were provided by Joe and Carolyn Kozlosky of McDonald County.

Jeana Gockley, McDonald County Library director, brought the "Read to a Dog" program back to the Pineville Library Friday.

Gockley said the program was initially brought to the library in June and July.

"Research shows when children read to the dogs, their reading skills improve and their stress levels are lowered since it is easier for them to read to the dogs than to adults," Gockley said. "The overall goal is to improve upon reading skills."

The certified Therapy Dogs in the library program Friday were provided by volunteers Joe and Carolyn Kozlosky of McDonald County, who own and trained the dogs.

The program is for kindergarteners through sixth-graders. There is no charge for the program -- all the children have to do is show up and pick out a book to read at the library, or bring one from home.

The program will be offered at the Southwest City library Friday, Sept. 23.

Gockley said she has received good feedback regarding the program.

According to thebark.com, "the Reading to a Dog program has taken off across the nation and thousands of children who need help reading couldn't be happier."

"Though the children believe they are teaching dogs to read, in fact, with the dog as a comfortable, attentive audience, they are actually teaching themselves. As far as the child is concerned -- reading is about the dog, not about the child. No pressure. No embarrassment. No humiliation."

Therapy Dogs International states that "the main objective of the Read to a Dog Program is to provide a relaxed and dog-friendly atmosphere which allows students to practice the skill of reading.

By sitting down next to a dog and reading to the dog, all threats of being judged are put aside. The child relaxes, pats the attentive dog, and focuses on reading. Reading improves because the child is practicing the skill of reading, building self-esteem, and associating reading with something pleasant, TDI reports.

Community on 09/22/2016