The mission of the R.E.A.D.® program is to improve the literacy skills of children through the assistance of registered therapy teams as literacy mentors.
The Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) program improves children’s reading and communication skills by employing a powerful method: reading to a dog. But not just any dog. R.E.A.D. dogs are registered therapy animals who volunteer with their owner/handlers as a team, going to schools, libraries and many other settings as reading companions for children.
Today, hundreds of registered R.E.A.D. teams work throughout the United States and Canada. R.E.A.D. is one of those ideas that, in the words of Bill Moyers, “pierces the mundane to arrive at the marvelous.”
Intermountain Therapy Animals, a nonprofit organization, launched R.E.A.D. in 1999 as the first comprehensive literacy program built around the appealing idea of reading to dogs, and the program has been spreading rapidly and happily ever since!
Other R.E.A.D.® News and Information
The R.E.A.D. Brochure
Download the R.E.A.D. brochure here (Adobe Acrobat, 117 KB)
R.E.A.D.® Program - 'Tails From The Field'
Carron Gordon and her Springer Spaniel, Meg, saw positive results in just one session of the R.E.A.D. program. One ten-year-old girl was finally convinced to try to read to Meg after using some of the following approaches—"Meg can't read either, but she loves to listen," or "Meg doesn't care if you miss a few words, she will enjoy sitting with you and hearing the sound of your voice". She picked a small book and struggled slowly and valiantly through it, totally engrossed, until, 45 minutes and 32 pages later, she turned the last page. She gasped, wide-eyed, "Oh! I've never been able to finish a whole book, ever before in my life!" That's what R.E.A.D. is all about!
Ghost stories sound very popular with kids in the R.E.A.D. Program:
Catherine Chamberlain and her Boston Terrier, Chato, who participate in the R.E.A.D. program at the Midvale Boys' and Girls' Club, understand just how convinced most children are that the dogs they read to listen and absorb what they are hearing. One second grader informed them, "I really scared that big black dog the other day!" When asked how, he replied, "I read him a ghost story!"
Ellen Jesatis and Rosie in Bozeman, MT: My favorite R.E.A.D. memory so far is from a session we did at an elementary school one autumn. The student had brought some Halloween books he wanted to read that day. When I asked him which book he would like to read to Rosie first, he thought for minute, picked out a book and said, "Well, I'd really like to read this one. It's my favorite. But...I think I'd better not, 'cause it might be too scary for Rosie." I assured him that Rosie, being a Newfoundland, was naturally brave and courageous and so would probably enjoy a scary ghost story. Convinced, the boy read the story and then exclaimed, "Wow! She didn't seem scared at all!" This incident helped convince me of the validity and power of the R.E.A.D. program.
Created: March 1, 2004 by Intermountain Therapy Animals
Other R.E.A.D.® press and articles
- Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D. ) Frequently Asked Questions
- Libraries and Schools that ITA R.E.A.D. Teams Visit
- "Tails for Tea"
- R.E.A.D. Training Package a Success!
- READING IS FUN-DOG-MENTAL
- R.E.A.D. Presentations
- R.E.A.D. Featured on Westminster Dog Show Broadcast
- R.E.A.D. Associate Programs and Regional Workshops
- ITA Wins Major Award
- Purchase a Lucinda pin and support the R.E.A.D. program!
Press and Articles
A page of references to recent press and articles about Reading Education Assistance Dogs.
Links
Links to other Reading Education Assistance Dogs and literacy resources on the Internet.
R.E.A.D. Photos
Photos of Reading Education Assistance Dogs at work.
R.E.A.D.® Program Contacts:
For more information about R.E.A.D., please contact Intermountain Therapy Animals at 801-272-3439.