Stuttering, stammering or unintelligibly quiet. Reading aloud is so stressful for many children that they freeze from fear or stress. Reading becomes an almost impossible task for them. Because reading is nevertheless a very important skill for primary school children, the cultural center in Tessenderlo started a very successful initiative with reading dogs.
Reading dogs
Every two weeks, a certified therapy dog visits the library to listen very patiently and calmly as children read a story aloud. “The dogs help children overcome their fear,” says Elise, handler of Zembla the reading dog. “The dog just listens. He doesn't judge, he doesn't correct, nor does he help out if the reading happens to go a bit slowly. That is what children need. Time and trust. The rest often follows naturally.” Elise is a speech therapist, but she also took a separate training course to be able to do this with her dog. Of course, Zembla also underwent thorough training. “It's a journey that we really went through together, and that makes it all the nicer. The fact that we can now work together for the non-profit organization therapy animal gives me real satisfaction.”
Great reactions and good results
The children, as well as the parents, are very happy with the reading dogs. They are more motivated to practice and, immediately after reading, they are already looking forward to the next time. Tom Rouvrois, culture officer in Tessenderlo: “The project certainly helps children grow in their reading proficiency. We are therefore glad that Elise and Zembla are further shaping the project. Her experience with reading disabilities and development is, of course, a major asset. We hope to be able to continue this initiative for a long time to come and perhaps even expand it.”
Suitable dog?
It goes without saying that not every dog can do this kind of work. All dogs used by Therapiedier vzw are tested, trained, and closely monitored. Staying calm under all circumstances is very important, but that is certainly not the only requirement. The chairman of the non-profit organization, Inge Pauwels, clarifies: “Every therapy animal that performs assignments for us undergoes serious training, and the owner also takes an intensive course. This is followed by a real exam, for both the handler and the animal, and only then can the duo work on behalf of the non-profit organization. We consider this quality monitoring to be very important. Naturally for the children, but also for the animal in question. Every therapy animal must enjoy the work and the attention. So I am very sure that Zembla enjoys the stories on Wednesdays just as much as the children who are happy with his listening ears.”
Interested in using one of our reading dogs? Or would you like to get started with your own dog? You can find all the information via www.therapiedier.be
