Read Me a Story

Great story from ABC News about the positive influence that dogs have on children learning to read. In fact, research suggests that dogs can actually help children learn to read!

The key is the fact that dogs do not pass judgment; they merely sit and listen. "Kids have to practice, practice, practice to be good readers," said Francine Alexander, chief academic officer at Scholastic, the publisher of many children's books. "And yet, when you're practicing, if you make a mistake, it can feel risky and uncomfortable. But if you're practicing with a dog, you don't mind making the mistake."

In fact, a study from the University of California, Davis, found that children who do read to a dog actually improved their reading skills by 12 percent over ten weeks. Children who did not read to a dog did not show similar improvement.

The dogs, who are trained therapy dogs, are accompanied by their handlers. They must be able to sit still and listen. There is a very successful program in place at the East Norwalk Library in East Norwalk, Connecticut, where one participant explained the secret behind the success: "I'm relaxing when I'm reading to [the dog]," he explained. "It's just you and the dog."

Sounds like a formula that might work for a lot of things!