Struggling or reluctant readers at East Lake School in Chestermere have some new best friends – through the Listening Tails program, students get paired with a therapy dog in an effort to boost their confidence in an inviting atmosphere.
“We choose students who are struggling (with reading), have social and emotional issues or kids who could just use a little boost, a little happiness,” said Lauren Condrashoff, a learning support teacher at the school. “They love it. They are so sad when their six weeks are up.”
Three dogs make regular visits to the school, and students are matched with the dogs in 15-minute slots. Grade 5 student Emily Main said she had developed a special bond with English bulldog Chili.
“When I first met (Chili) he licked me like crazy. He’s really fun and I sat down with him and started reading and he snuggled up beside me,” she said. “That’s one of the reasons I love Listening Tails so much. Once you start reading, he starts snuggling.
“I almost wish instead of half an hour it would be a whole hour.”
According to Main’s mom Karin, the program worked as a motivator, engaging Main in a subject she had previously struggled with.
“Every day it was (scheduled), she was running lickety-split and excited to go to school, and she usually wasn’t.
“It’s a bit of a struggle – the reading and writing was really hard for her,” Karin said. “She bonded really well with the dog there and it was a very special time for her. Her teachers said she came back beaming.”
The program was introduced to East Lake in conjunction with the Chestermere Therapy Dogs Society (CTDS), which also offers the service at the Chestermere Public Library.
“The key to the whole program is that the dogs are non-judgmental,” said Steve King, president and founder of CTDS. “That way, the (students) start to get confidence in reading out loud. The dog enjoys being read to, they get a kick out of the bonding. It really is a win-win situation.”
Dogs from CTDS are brought in by handlers and are kept on leashes for the duration of the reading session.
“The program is a one-on-one situation, which means the kids actually look forward to seeing that particular dog every week,” King said. “We’ve had situations where the kids have drawn pictures of the dog (they’re matched with). They really start to feel like they know the dog.
“The secondary benefit is the child participates more in group discussions than when they were shy or reluctant. They’re getting more out of these classes, and it’s all because they feel confident in being able to read out loud and express themselves out loud.”
According to Main, reading out loud to Chili has helped her feel more confident with her reading.
“I’m a little behind with my reading. I’m not gonna lie, that has always been a struggle for me,” she said. “For me, just being able to read and love reading a little bit more, it gets me reading more and makes things better.
“You can bond with an animal at the same time. That’s why I really think that other kids should do Listening Tails more often. Not just some people. It’s going to be really good for everyone.”
Rocky View Schools trustee Bev LaPeare called the program “awesome.”
“I can’t say enough about this program,” she said. “Watching a child read or talk to an animal as opposed to a human, it’s incredible. They lose that fear, that apprehension, and things just happen.”
Listening Tails is aimed generally at students at the elementary level, but King said any child could participate. He said the program could expand to other communities, contingent on available dogs and handlers.
For more information on the CTDS, visit ctds.ca
